Sunset on the Quidditch Pitch
by Renica Swavely
Summary: Rose Weasley, the daughter of Hermione and Ron, has been friends with their enemy's son, Scorpius Malfoy secretly for years. When Rose makes it onto the Gryffindor Quidditch team she discovers some things about her friend during a match against Slytherin.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Rose Weasley sat with her head against the window of the Hogwart's Express, staring off into the English countryside. Across from her in the car were her family members. Albus, her cousin and James, his older brother were playing a smaller, portable version of wizard's chess. While they all sat here, both Hugo and Lily were at home, waiting impatiently for thier first trip to Hogwarts. Hugo and Lily were three years younger than Rose and Albus, who was extremely brilliant, much like his namesake. Rose was naturally smart as well, a talent she had inherited from her mother.

For Rose, this was her first train ride to Hogwarts. She was not sure how to feel. The people around her felt more like strangers than her family. Ever since her mother had kissed her goodbye and put her on this train, she had felt a huge wave of disconnect. Part of her knew it was due to her anticipation of what was to come this year, but another part felt like an outcast, even in her own family.

"I'm going to get something from the trolley. Anyone hungry?" she asked, suddenly feeling the need to escape from the quite confines of the room.

Albus glanced up, as if waking from a daze. His eyes ran over Rose's face, analyzing. Rose stared back at him, unblinking. "No thank you, Rose," Albus shook his head with a polite smile. He had always been the quietest of the group. James didn't even look at her. He waved his their hand at her, shooing her away. He had much more important things to worry about, like beating his brother at their chess game. Rose turned away from them and left the car, making sure to shut the door behind her.

Instead of heading towards the front of the train where she knew the kind old lady who sold sweets would be, she turned to her right and headed for the back. She passed through her entire car, noting which students appeared to be first years and which ones were clearly upperclassmen. When she reached the end of the train, she found an empty cabin. Checking to make sure no one was watching her; she slid the door open and entered.

She settled down by the window, facing out onto the moor and pulled a book out of the folds of her robes. The title of the book was Hogwarts: A History. It was a first edition, very old. Her mother had given it to her as a present. Rose enjoyed reading, but this particular book did not seem very interesting. Still, she opened to the first page and began to skim through the material, wondering if there was going to be some sort of pop quiz on it when she arrived to the famous school. She had only gotten about two paragraphs into the first page when someone entered the car. Startled, she jumped in her seat.

"Sorry," a boy about her age said quickly. "I didn't know anyone was in here. I was looking for some place quiet."

Rose smiled. "Me too. Care to join me?"

"Thanks," the boy smiled, his steely gray eyes peering at her through his long straight blonde locks. "My name's Scorpius. Scorpius Malfoy." He extended his hand for her to shake as he came to sit down. Rose took it and gave it a firm shake, the way her father had taught her how to greet someone of importance. She couldn't place it, but some how the boy's last name sounded familiar. She decided it must be someone of importance. She knew a lot of wizarding families since both her parents worked for areas of the Ministry.

"Rose," she told him. He looked at what she was reading, and then back at her face. "Um, my mom gave it to me. She said it was her favorite book when she was my age."

"That's kind of weird," he commented with a smirk. He reached into the back part of his robes and pulled out a first edition of Quidditch Through the Ages. "My dad did the same thing," he held out the book for her to see.

Rose nodded with approval. "My little brother has the newest edition. He was so excited, because it covered the Chudley Cannon's win last year."

"Oh no!" Scorpius groaned. "Please tell me that you're not a fan of the Cannons."

"No," Rose laughed. "I have better taste than my brother. I cheered for the Bulgarians last year at the World Cup."

"Really?" he smiled. "They were my favorite. I can't believe they lost by only 30 points. It was devastating."

"I know," Rose agreed, putting her mother's book down on the seat beside her. The history of Hogwarts would have to wait. When it came to Quidditch, nothing else mattered. "I was so shocked that Graut would let Hammerstein catch the snitch so easily. It was probably the worst moment of my life."

"At least you got to see it," he said, pouting a little. "My dad wouldn't let me go. Said we didn't need tickets, that it wasn't important enough to waste our money on."

"But it's Quidditch," Rose argued, leaning forward slightly. "How can that not be important?"

"I don't know. I thought he would be more interested. He played on his house team when he attended Hogwarts."

"My dad too," she nodded. "What class was your father?"

"Didn't really have one. It was during the war. Things were chaotic. He doesn't like to talk about it. My mom told me once though."

Rose felt something in her stomach turn. "My parents were there for that too," she said softly. "They don't like to talk about it either." The two sat in silence for a long moment. Rose returned her gaze to the outside world. The long green meadows that stretched out onto the horizon flew by in a whirl of different shades. Once in a while a dash of color from a group of wild flowers or from a small cottage would interrupt the natural colors. "Is it your first year?" she asked, pulling herself away from the scene.

"Yeah," Scorpius grinned. "I wish it wasn't. I wish I was actually going into my third year."

"Oh, so you don't know anyone either than?"

"Not really," he laughed. Rose felt better immediately.

Rose opened her mouth to ask what house he wanted, when James opened the door to the cabin.

"Rose, what are you doing in here?" he asked the tone of his voice a bit sharp.

She looked at the boy across from her and then at her cousin, purely shocked.

"What are you doing here?" James growled again. He was staring directly at Scorpius.

Rose looked at her cousin and then to the boy she had just met. "What's going on?" she asked.

"Come on, Rose. We're going back to our cabin," Albus announced, grabbing her by the arm. James followed them. His eyes never strayed from where Scorpius was sitting.

"Wh-what? Albus!"

"Rose," James growled again. She had never heard him use such a mean tone. Despite it, she found herself staring at the blonde boy across from her. "Let's go." Albus guided her out of the cabin, with James leading. The last thing she saw was those gray stormy eyes.


	2. Changes

**Chapter One: Changes**

"And finally, Ms. Weasley," the tall, thin framed 7th year announced over the quidditch pitch. "Thank you all for coming out this term. Your efforts have no been overlooked. Please remain loyal to your house by supporting your colors. For those of you who have passed, please note that the final round of tryouts is this Saturday at two sharp. See you there." With that, the young man walked off the pitch, leaving behind a large group of disappointed students and one smaller sect of anxious teenagers.

"Way to go, sis!" Hugo Weasley slapped his hand onto the shoulder of his older sibling.

"Yeah, after four years, one would hope you'd make the team," his cousin, James Potter teased, coming up on the opposite side of the sixteen year old witch.

"Sod off," Rose snapped, eyeing them both angrily. She was glad to have made the final round of cuts, but annoyed that it had taken this long for the Gryffindor captain to notice her talent on a broom. The constant nagging of her brother and cousin did not help.

"You need a little work on your dives," Hugo suggested gently, anticipating her reaction.

"And your back hand toss isn't really up to par. You might want to work on that as well," James added.

"Ah!" Rose threw her hands up in the air as she stormed off the pitch. Normally she could handle the boys, but today had not been a good day and her temper had reached the boiling point. She knew she had inherited her hot-headness from her father, but she was unwilling to admit that fact out loud. She liked to think she was more collected, like her mother. Before Hugo and James could catch up to her, she ducked into the witch's locker room.

"Work on your dives, cousin. Don't want to try out for another year and not get picked," she mimicked them to herself as she took off her gloves and boots. The buckles came free easily under her quick and thin fingers. "Honestly," she sighed with a roll of her eyes. "I can tromp them at their own game any day. But does that insolent little prat let me even try? No. Of course not. A witch could never be a good a chaser as a wizard!" Terrance Abbott was two years her senior and was obsessed with quidditch, a love that came second only to himself. It was no small secret that he fancied himself a cut above the rest. She threw her guards at an empty locker with a grunt.

Slamming the locker door shut, she grabbed a towel from the closet at the end of the row and headed to the back room where the showers were. The hot water felt wonderful on her sore muscles. She had been practicing each night after dinner, in between classes, and even in the mornings. It had paid off, but just barely. She winced when she found a new bruise blossoming on her back just below her right shoulder blade. When had that happened? She stood under the shower head and made sure to blast it, hoping it would work out some of the knots. Once she was done, she reached out to grab her towel, but it wasn't on the hook outside the shower where she had put it. Rose poked her head out of the shower curtain. The towel was no where in sight.

"Looking for this?" an arrogant voice called.

"How the bloody hell did you get in here?" Rose snapped as she grabbed her towel out of Scorpius' outstretched hand.

His chuckle vibrated off the walls and echoed around her as she tucked the scarlet fabric around her body. "Miss me that much, huh?"

"Not really," she growled sarcastically, as she strolled past him to her locker.

"Heard you made the team," he continued as he followed, ignoring her tone.

"Well you heard wrong," she snapped as she ripped through her locker trying to find a set of clean robes. "I have to make it through the final round yet." She pulled out a set of clothes and took them back into the shower room to change. Scorpius leaned against the outside wall, waiting. "It's not like I'm not qualified. I can beat any of the guys on that team with my eyes closed."

"Is that so?" he teased. Rose paused in the middle of her changing to poke her head out once more. She stuck her tongue out at him. He caught her chin quickly, before she could retreat back into the stall. "Well you have yet to beat me." He blew the words across her face, his lips so close she could taste his breath. Rose momentarily lost her resolve and felt her legs weaken. She blamed it on lack of sleep and too much time spent on the pitch. Before he could say anything else, she yanked her head behind the curtain. "Name the date when you want to try again," he challenged.

"Why don't we see who beats who during the Gryffindor match against Slytherin at the start of the term?" she prompted, throwing the curtain open as she stepped out fully clothed.

"Where's the fun in that? We've beaten you every year." he pointed out.

There was no good comeback for that one. Rose had to admit that he was right. There were times when she wanted to beat Scorpius for the things he said and did, but then she remembered how much they had been through together and the urge faded. Ever since their chance encounter on the train five years earlier, they had remained close. They had become experts at living double lives. They had learned how to communicate without words when they were in class together or sitting across the Great Hall from one another and the like.

Her family had told her to stay clear of the Malfoys, but no one would explain why. Hugo didn't know. She had pestered him one summer until he had gone to their parents himself to ask, but nothing came of it. Ronald Weasley was a closed book when it came to discussing the war and Hermione was respectfully of his wishes. She would talk facts, but nothing personal. The same went for Scorpius. His mother was not around often. As for his father, Mr. Malfoy remained unresponsive on the subject. Both had been smart enough to leave the other out of the conversation. So it remained a mystery. Neither knew why there was a line dividing them, but they crossed it each day regardless of the unnamed reason.

"What did you get on your Potions essay?" Rose asked, changing the subject off of Quidditch. She had to practice, but for tonight, she needed a break from the sport she loved so much.

"Full marks. And you?"

"Full marks and then some," she grinned at him.

"So you did do the extra credit scroll," he teased, running his knuckles over her skull. "You little dork. Bet your mother was proud," he continued, leaning up against the wall as she emptied the contents of her locker into her duffle bag.

"Don't know. I didn't have a chance to owl her yet," Rose shrugged, dumping the last few items into the bag. Scorpius closed the door for her and picked up the bag. She tried to get it before he could, but in one swift motion he had it slung over his shoulder and was walking out. "I can handle carrying my own stuff you know," she sighed. She wanted to fight him, but at the same time she was far to exhausted to put up a good argument with him.

"You're never going to get a date if you don't start behaving like a girl," he shot back.

Rose stopped walking. He had never said anything to her about dating or boyfriends or anything of the sort. For a moment she considered his words. It was true she had not been asked out by any boy since she had arrived at Hogwarts, with the exception of some of her brother's friends. She stared at her reflection in the mirror by the doorway. She wasn't homely. She had a slim build with well toned limbs from her active lifestyle. Her hair was wavy like her mothers and was a beautiful dark barley color. Her eyes were a greenish blue. Depending on her mood they changed. Usually when she was in a good mood they were more blue than they were green and vice versa. Her skin was pale, like her father's but it wasn't covered in freckles like Hugo's was. She was thankful for that. She had never been a fan of freckles. Despite her attractive appearance no one had asked her on a date, not even a walk to Hogsmeade. Though she hated to admit it, once again Scorpius was right. Shaking her head, she shut the door on the girl's locker room and followed him out of the stadium.

It had gotten dark in the time she had been inside. She figured Hugo would be looking for her. Dinner was probably about to start. Scorpius was already well ahead of her. Rose watched him walking up the path to the lit castle. He moved so agile, like walking was part of his nature. There was no tension in his muscles as he carried her bag up the hill. Normally for her it was a struggle due to the massive weight. She envied how easily every thing came for him. He had been named captain of his House team in his third year, had aced his O.W.L.S. after barely studying, and now he was in his last year, preparing to graduate with a job right out of school. She wondered if there was anything that challenged him in life.

He wasn't the type to give up. Failure wasn't a part of his vocabulary. She had seen him play a full match of Quidditch on a sprained wrist. He still managed to score fifty points for Slytherin. Even in more personal matters, such as with her, the issue rolled off of him like water. After their meeting on the Hogwart's Express, Scorpius had managed to position himself next to her in the opening line up to enter the Great Hall. He had officially introduced himself as the son of Draco Malfoy, a man who apparently had some bad blood with her family. In all the time she had known him, Rose had never seen evil in Scorpius. True, he did have a knack for getting into mischief and there had been a small tousle with her cousin James last year. James had caught Scorpius talking to Rose in one of the courtyards. Thankfully, James was clearly oblivious that their conversation had been going on for years, rather than minutes.

Playing the part of obedient sister/cousin wasn't easy, especially when all Rose wanted to do was break away from her family. She knew that they didn't mean to be so selective, but they had all been brought up together. There were no secrets between them. They shared every thing, gave one another every thing, and took care of one another with out question. It was the most elite club on campus and she had an automatic membership. She felt selfish for not wanting it. Her uncle was the famous Harry Potter. Her parents were part of his Golden Trio. They were in her history books for Godric's sake. The pressure was immense. She felt trapped by their legacy, by what was expected of her. It made her want something simpler, something that didn't require a huge name or praise from her professors. She wanted to be seen for Rose, not for the daughter of the most brilliant witch of the century or the niece of Harry Potter, the wizard who vanquished the Dark Lord.

Her friends couldn't fathom the pressure. They did not understand her need to get away from it all. Jasmine Thompson's parents were both Muggles. She was a transfer in from America. Rose had been drawn to her by her strange accent. Rudolph Lettner was from a family of ex-patriots who had supported her uncle's efforts all those years ago. None of his family had ever had the opportunity to attend Hogwarts because their blood was mixed with centaur blood. After the war, the rules had changed. Now he had all the opportunities a Pureblood wizard had. Her friends knew what it was like to be outside the inner circle. They thought being part of the Potter/Weasley clan would be a blessing. Rose had tried numerous times to explain that it was the opposite for her. They did not believe her. The only one who understood her need to get away was Scorpius.

"You're going to miss dinner," he chided her from ahead.

"I'm coming!" she shouted back, before sprinting up the sidewalk.

A lion and a snake, she thought. How was their friendship going to survive graduation? The two walked together in silence until they reached the entrance. Scorpius handed Rose her bag. "See you in a bit," he waved, heading off in the direction of the Great Hall. Rose turned to take her stuff up to Gryffindor tower, while he went off towards the Dungeons.

* * *

The air was whisking by her. She was moving so fast she could barley take it in. There was a light scent of fresh flowers and below her she could see a blurry array of newly opened buds decorating the grassy planes with brilliant bursts of color. Her smile widened as she pressed the handle of the broom down to dip her form closer to the blades of grass. Slowly, almost carefully, she unwound her fingertips from the right side of the broom and grazed the tips of the freshly opened petals. They were soft, as smooth as silk and as new as a baby.

She lowered her face to the ground, resting it ever so gently on the flowers' heads. It was so beautiful here, so peaceful. She slowed the broom to stop, merely hovering over the ground, practically lying on the moor. She closed her eyes, her breathing becoming softer, shallower.

"Rose."

The voice was familiar. She ignored it. She was happy here, content in this rare moment that was all her own.

"Rose."

It came again silencing the wind. She moved to face the other side of the broom, resting her cheek on a new patch of flowers.

"Rose, wake up."

The moor started to fade away. Her heartbeat quickened. Where was she? She blinked and in a split second, the vision was gone and she was back in her dormitory staring into a pair of cold eyes.

"Scorpius," she yawned, blinking once more. She felt the weight shift on her bed as he sat down. She closed her eyes and laid back into her pillow. The moment didn't last long. She shot up like a lightning bolt, wide-awake when she realized who was on her bed. "Scorpius!"

"Good morning," he smiled, cheekily.

Rose grabbed the sheets of her bed and brought them up against her chest. She usually slept in over-sized t-shirts from her older cousins, but last night after a particularly long night of studying in the library she hadn't bothered to change. Instead, she had stripped down to her bra and knickers and gone right to sleep. "What the bloody hell are YOU doing in here?" she snapped.

"Don't get your knickers in a wad, Weasley," he laughed. "Have you forgotten what today is?"

"Sunday, the day of rest," she stifled a yawn, while still glaring daggers at him.

"And the day the final line-ups are posted."

No longer caring if she was wearing anything Rose leapt out of bed and flipped open her trunk. Scorpius stayed perched on her bed, watching her tear through her clothing to find something quick to put on, a grin fixed on his lips. She quickly said a charm to pull her hair up while she tossed on jeans and a tank top that covered her enough to be presentable downstairs. She stuffed everything back into her trunk, slamming the lid closed loudly.

"Crimmeny!" Jasmine swore from her bed across the room. "Rose Weasley, what in God's name are you doing up so early and banging around the–." Jasmine stopped speaking when she saw Scorpius in the room.

"Well, my job here is done," he announced, removing himself from the bed. He turned to Rose. "I will see you at breakfast. Good luck." And just as mysteriously as he had come, he was gone. He went down the steps and out the door, with no one the wiser.

Rose stared after him for a brief moment, before turning to Jasmine. "Sorry," she mouthed, before taking off down to the Great Hall. She jumped down two steps at a time, nearly running right into Hugo. He shouted something at her, but she didn't hear him as she darted past, leaping over a first year that had dropped his books on the floor and almost getting hit in the face with a make-up charm as she passed a girl in her year.

The hall was nearly empty, save for a group of students who were all huddled at the front of the room by the professors' table. Rose took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to still her rapidly beating heart. Her mother had taught her to do it, claiming it was what she had done before fighting the Dark Lord alongside Rose's uncle, the famed Harry Potter. Though Rose couldn't decide if it was a white lie or not, it had helped her focus in the past and usually worked to calm her nerves. Today, however, it failed to keep the butterflies in her stomach from dancing about.

She walked up to the table. Tapping her foot, impatiently, she waited for some of the other students to move until she found an opening. She used her shoulders to wedge herself between two older boys and shoved herself forward. Her hipbone hit the hard wood, causing her to wince. When she opened her eyes, she saw it – the Gryffindor line-up for the year. Hugo, James, and…third down from the top it read: Rose Weasley, Chaser.

A normal person would cheer or even cry. Rose simply smiled to herself and turned on her heel to exit the room. She was on the team. She had finally proven herself worthy. She was going to be playing with her brother and cousin and they were going to take the House Cup against Slytherin. And against Scorpius. She stopped at the doorway, glancing back at the group still hovering over the list. Scorpius had been a star player since he started, leading the Slytherin team to victory after victory. Any success that she would have would be at his expense.

"Well?" Rudolph and Jasmine surprised her. They were waiting in the hallway. Rose noticed Jasmine had her fingers crossed, a Muggle-form of hoping for good luck. "Did you get it?" Rudolph asked. She grinned and nodded. "Yes!" Rudolph cried, grabbing her in a hug. He was much stronger than he realized and even though Rose had tried hard to explain that fact to him a number of times before, it seemed as if the message had still not sunk in. He put her down when Jasmine hit him as a reminder.

"We need to celebrate," Jasmine decided. Rose could see the wheels turning in her friend's head. Jasmine was a planner, always calculating, always analyzing. She loved nothing more than a good pro/con sheet.

Rose couldn't help but laugh, feeling her nerves leave as she relaxed in the presence of her friends. "Ok, Jas. What did you have in mind?"

"I'd say a trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow for some retail therapy and dinner might be appropriate."

"Oh, can we make it lunch?" Rose asked. "Scorpius and I have a practice scheduled tomorrow night."

Rudolph looked at Jasmine, then back at Rose. "Are you two still sneaking around behind your family's back?"

"You make it sound awful," Rose waved away their concern.

"Rose," Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest. "He has a point. Aren't you ever going to tell Hugo, James, and Lily? I mean you haven't even told Albus and he's the most reserved!"

"You don't understand," Rose shook her head, walking towards the library. "My cousins hate Scorpius' family and my brother," she let out a disgruntled sound, "he goes along with it all."

"But you two have been friends all these years and nothing has happened. Don't you think that is good enough evidence for them?"

"Have you two met James?"

"So what happens after graduation?" Jasmine asked pointedly. Rose faltered in her step. "After Hogwarts and house teams and secretive meetings, when all of that is over, Rose, what are you going to do then?"

"I–I don't know," she answered honestly. Sighing, she looked over her shoulder at both of her friends. "Look, I'll see you guys later, ok? I have some work I have to get done in the library. Meet up with you in the common room before dinner?"

"Sure," Rudolph grinned, happy to be out of the confrontation.

"See you then," Jasmine gave a small smile, relenting.

Once she heard them walking away, Rose found her ability to move again. She walked fast, entering the library silently and bypassing all the students to go to her favorite table at the back west corner. The small wooden table was barely used because one of the legs was uneven and it wobbled a lot, but that also guaranteed that no one would be around it, which gave Rose what she cherished most – her privacy. It wasn't until she sat down that she realized that she hadn't brought a single quill or scroll with her. "Bollocks!" she cursed quietly to herself.

She wasn't in the mood to face Jasmine right now, not after what had been said. It wasn't hurtful. It was true. Jasmine had the great ability of analyzing something, breaking it apart, then putting it back together with a complete understanding of it. The only thing that made her intelligence in such an area irritating to Rose was the fact that Jasmine seemed to believe the Potter/Weasley clan was perfect. Jasmine couldn't see how introducing Rose's friendship with Scorpius would spell out problems and trouble more so than a Blasted-End Skrewt.

However, Jasmine did have a point. What was going to happen to Rose's relationship with Scorpius when they were done with Hogwarts? Never mind the fact that they had to last until graduation. She tried to think of life after Hogwarts. She had dreamed of being a Quidditch pro for years, but that was not realistic. She showed a real flare for healing magic, but then again, she also had been told she had a great deal of talent in transfiguration and charms. Learning magic came easy to her but it didn't make it any easier when it came to choosing a job.

A job wasn't the only thing that would take up her time after graduation. She wanted a family – not as big as her father's family. She couldn't deal with all that drama times two, but she did want to get married and have children. Two was a good even number. Growing up with Hugo had been fun and she had never felt as if her parents struggled with having two. Three was alright, but she felt that uneven numbers weren't a good idea. One was hard. It was the only chance to perfect parenting and that one child would be alone growing up. No siblings, only friends as playmates. It seemed like a lonesome existence.

"I thought you'd be a bit more chipper since you finally made the team," Scorpius looked up over the book he was reading at Rose. He was leaning against the bookcase across from her. She wasn't sure how long he had been there. She hadn't been aware of him coming in. "Congratulations, by the way."

"Oh please," she rolled her eyes. "You already knew. That's why you woke me up."

"Maybe. In any chance, Gryffindor still isn't going to beat Slytherin next week in the season opener, so get used to disappointment, darling."

"Don't call me that."

"Why?"

"Because it makes me feel like a petulant child."

"Hmm," he closed the book and ran his eyes from head to toe. "You are hardly a child, Rose." She felt the edges of her cheeks grow warm. "Here, you forgot this in your dorm," he laid her knapsack on the table. She stared at her belongings sitting in front her, trying to remember if she had seen him grab them earlier that morning. "You're welcome," he whispered, his face dangerously close to hers.

Before she could say a word, he pulled away and sauntered out of the library. She didn't have a snappy comeback or even an explanation for what had just transpired between them. It had only served to confuse her more about where their relationship was going post-graduation.


	3. Game

**Chapter Three: Game**

The following morning, Rose got up with Jasmine to shower. The two talked endlessly in the stalls next to one another just as they had for the past several years. While Jasmine did not pry any more about Scorpius, Rose could feel the tension in the air. The unanswered questions bothered her friend, but she was too kind a person to keep poking at an open wound. Their conversation started out with what to do down at Hogsmeade and switched into talk about how to make it more exciting for Rudolph, who always had to put up with their long shopping trips, while carrying their many purchases. Eventually, they got to the topic of what to wear and what they were hoping to get for breakfast down in the Great Hall.

They met their friend in the Common Room. He was reading the Quibbler, a magazine that had almost been lost during the war, but faithfully revived by Luna Lovegood, the daughter of the famed editor. While it was a bit strange, the quality of the writing was good and often the stories were true, though they were a bit off as well. Rudolph put the paper down when he saw the pair of them and gave them each a hug. "So what shall I be carrying today?" He teased.

"Oh the usual," Jasmine started, as they walked through the portrait hole. "Some Fernando Salamander, Kenneth Coal, J. Brew…you know, the usual." They all laughed and continued down to breakfast. Rose had missed this, the simple walks and chats with her friends, the light conversations. She had been feeling so lost lately, mostly due to her changing role in Gryffindor and her uneasy relationship with Scorpius. She had forgotten how important her friends were to her and how much she relied on them.

When they entered the Great Hall, she noticed that Hugo and the rest of the team were already sitting together at the far end of the table, nearest to the professor's area. Lily and Albus were sitting together with their friends a few people away, seemingly oblivious to their brother and cousin. Rose, who had never felt particularly good with either group, settled down by April Karaouse towards the opposite end of the table, Jasmine and Rudolph sitting across from her.

"Morning," Rose greeted April with a smile.

"Morning, Rose! Congrats on making the House Team," April replied.

"Thanks."

"I bet James is happy."

"Excuse me," Rose glanced over at her, while reaching for a roll.

"Well all these years, you've been trying out. I'm sure it was hard on him to turn you away," April said. Rose remained silent. "But now it's fine. You're on the team and it all worked out."

Rudolph and Jasmine exchanged worried glances. Rose just stared at her untouched roll. "Rose?" Rudolph reached across the table, to put his hand over hers.

"I'm fine," she said softly.

"James needs you on the team. They haven't won a Cup in over a decade," Jasmine reminded her.

"And you're a bloody strong Chaser. You always beat me." Rose bit down on her bottom lip, but nodded at Rudolph's comment.

"Though James is the finest Seeker since his father."

"Why does everyone love him so much?" Rose snapped. Jasmine shot April a death glare. "He's not The-Boy-Who-Lived! He doesn't have all the answers. He's not perfect. And neither is his father!" Rose threw her hands up in the air and stormed out of the hall, leaving her roll behind.

April glanced perplexed over at Jasmine and Rudolph. "Did I say something?"

They ignored her. "Should I go after her?" Rudolph asked, getting up.

"No," Jasmine put her hand on his arm. "Let her go. She needs some time alone. This is the one thing we can't help her with."

Rose knew she was headed toward the library, before she even got to the doors. She hated herself for it, knowing full well that it was the same place her mother would have gone. She went cascading through the double doors, past the ancient librarian, and headed straight toward the historical section. Normally in a moment like this, she would have gone toward the Divination section for a good laugh, but she was too frustrated right now. She grabbed the book labeled, The Second War: Voldemort's Return.

She had only paged through it briefly once before, but she knew exactly what she was looking for. In the front section of the book was a chapter labeled "Potter, Weasley, and Granger Unite!" She took the book to her back corner table, throwing it on the wood with a loud crash. Even sitting as far back as she was, she could hear Madame Pince making the "shhh" sound in a an annoyed tone. Rose ignored her and flipped open the book to find the chapter. On page 32, it started with the opening line of, "Since their first year together at Hogwarts, Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, and Hermione Granger were inseparable friends." Rose rolled her eyes. "Ha," she said sarcastically to the book. She knew for a fact that that wasn't necessarily true.

The next page had a run-down of their grades at Hogwarts, her mother's marks being higher than any other witch or wizard in over a hundred years. Pictures of them as youngsters at the school were on each page. When she spotted one of the Yule ball from their fourth year, she was surprised to see the caption read that her parents had gone together. "Bollocks," she hissed. Her mother had told her countless times that her father had been too chicken to ask her to the ball so she had gone with Viktor Krum from the Quidditch team instead.

A few pages afterwards, there was a paragraph that caught her eye. It read, "When Voldemort planned his attack on Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the three friends banned together to fight off him and his foes. Fighting as one, the trio was able to stop the attack in the castle and prevent it from infecting the entire wizarding world." Rose slammed the book shut. It was lies. All of it. The entire book was filled with lies. Her parent's history was not all rainbows and butterflies as everyone had been led to believe. In fact, there was more miscommunication, behind-the-back stabs, and problems than the rest of the world knew about. She had heard them from her family on the holidays when too much alcohol had been passed around and tales from their youth became a prominent subject.

She rested her head on top of the book, letting her arms hang like dead weights at her side. She was so exhausted with this same old song and dance about her family. She was tired of people comparing her to her parents and telling her how great they were, as if she had nothing to be proud of in herself. She closed her eyes. She just wanted a normal life. She didn't want to be the daughter of famous people. She wanted to be Rose.

"Rose?" She glanced up to see Jasmine standing over her. "We're ready to go if you still want to."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Let's go."

"Okay," Jasmine smiled and gave her a hug as she stood up.

Hogsmeade looked as quaint and peaceful as it always did. Rose was happy to see it. It had a way of calming her and no matter what type of mood she was in, she always felt better when she walked through the streets looking in the window displays at all the new items lined up behind the glass. It had been the place she loved to go during her first year at Hogwarts.

Her parents had signed her slip, her father shaking his head saying, "When I was at Hogwarts, we had to wait until our third year to go off." Her mother had just rolled her eyes and penned her name down silently. Rose hadn't understood then why it upset her father, but as she had gotten older and had read about her family in her history classes, she had realized how different their two generations were. Her uncle, along with her parents, had lived in a time of war where things were as uncertain as a professional Quidditch match and the dangers were far more fatal than a broken limb. She had never lived in a world like that and had never experienced the fear and uncertainty that they had fought against. She was eternally grateful for what they had done.

However, that didn't mean they didn't annoy her on other occasions. Normally, her father was the one to bring up "the good old days," but lately her mother had started to get a strange look in her eyes, as if she was missing something. It got worse when her uncle came by. Her parent and Uncle Harry had been called the Golden Trio when they had spent their years at Hogwarts together. While she knew they were all good people, it bothered her how everyone thought they walked on water and had no flaws. It wasn't easy being their daughter. There was so much to live up to, so much potential in her blood; at least that was what her professors said.

"So where do you want to go first?" Rudolph asked. "How about Zonko's?"

"No," both girls said in unison, smiling when they did.

"Um, okay. Want to try Honeydukes and see if they got anything new?"

"Yeah, sure," Rose agreed. Jasmine smiled over at her. "Throw him a bone, why don't you."

"Yeah, throw me a bone, ladies," Rudolph grabbed them both, one under each arm and squeezed.

"Hey!" the girls cried, half-laughing, half-angry.

Rudolph released them and the three of them went into Honeydukes. As soon as they got inside, Rose could smell the sugar. It was hot and sticky and so sweet. Everywhere she looked there was a wide array of color, so bright and so extravagant. Lollipops, chocolates, rock crystals, gum drops, licorices, and so much more to behold in such a small space. All around her, first years were going out of their minds on sugar rushes and spending all their coins on the latest candies. When she turned to point it out to Rudolph she laughed. He looked the exact same.

"Oh, Jas! Look at this one," he exclaimed, holding up an extra long, extra thick yard of licorice that was almost as big as his arm.

"That should last you a while," she commented.

"About a week," he shrugged.

"A week?" Rose cried.

"I said about a week," he corrected her. "My estimate is five days."

Rose and Jasmine stared at each other, shaking their heads. Rudolph had a sweet tooth and sometimes it gave him the mentality of a first year or younger. Today was no exception. He proceeded to buy the licorice, along with a dozen chocolate frogs, and three packs of Bertie Bott's. As they walked out of the store, he offered some to both of them. Neither girl took any.

"So where to now?"

"We could walk up to the Shrieking Shack," Jasmine suggested. "Just to get some fresh air."

"Yeah. That would give me time to eat some of this," Rudolph gestured to his licorice.

"Sure," Rose agreed. "Let's go."

They started walking away from the town, up towards the forest. It was quieter up here, away from the chaos of the shopping behind them. Birds were flying around the branches, singing and as they came around the corner, they spotted a deer and her fawn running away.

"Let's get closer," Rudolph said.

"You go. I'm going to sit over there," Rose pointed to a tree off to the side.

"Are you sure? I could wait with you while sweet-tooth goes for a walk," Jasmine offered.

"No, go ahead," Rose smiled. "I've seen it before. I'll just wait for you."

"Okay."

It wasn't that Rose didn't like a good scare every one in a while, but for her the Shrieking Shack wasn't anything but another reminder of her parents. When her uncle had told her what the Shrieking Shack really was, she had lost all admiration for the place. She had promised not to reveal the secret so her friends still found it to be creepy and it gave them a rush. She let them have their fun and walked off into the forest. She had only gone about a quarter mile, when she spotted a wide oak tree. It looked inviting and she plopped down in between two roots that were poking out of the ground.

"Shouldn't be out here alone, you know?"

"Good morning, Scorpious."

"Morning," he chuckled, sitting down next to her.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Just taking a walk. I'm not much of a shopper."

"Well you have good fashion for someone who doesn't like to shop."

"Thank the House Elves," he commented, leaning back into the tree trunk. "They are truly a blessing."

"My mother would be knocking down your front door if she could hear you right now," Rose laughed.

"What was her organization called again? SPEW?"

"Yep," Rose smiled. "What a name."

"Well look on the bright side," Scorpious began. "At least she named you something nice."

"I guess you're right."

"So, are you nervous?" he asked.

"About?"

"Your first game."

Rose sighed, leaning her head back against the tree. "A little. All these years I've been talking about what I can do and now I have to prove it. I just feel like I'm going to make a really stupid mistake and then my cousin is going to be unbearable."

"I can understand why you are concerned about James," Scorpius agreed. "He's one of our toughest competitors. Don't tell him I said this, but he's the one we worry about the most. He's got skill and that's part of it, but mostly it is because he is so tied to his convictions. He believes, whole-heartedly, that Gryffindor is a great team and because of that he fights. He is on a different level than most of us."

"Are you saying you're intimidated by him," Rose smirked.

"I'm sorry, whose house team is the current House Cup champion?" Rose punched him in the arm. "Aye!" He was caught off guard and she laughed. "If you wanted to play rough, Ms. Weasley, all you had to do was ask." He leaned over and proceeded to start tickling under her kneecaps. Rose squirmed, trying to get away, but Scorpius had been a Quidditch player for many years and his upper body strength was impressive. He held onto her with one arm while continuing to tickle her. "Say 'Slytherin is the best'," he teased, stopping his assault.

"Never!" Rose screamed, half laughing, half desperate.

"Say it."

"No!"

"Ok then," he continued to attack her.

"Ok! Ok! Slytherin is the best! Slytherin is the best!" Rose cried out.

"That's a girl," he grinned, releasing her.

"Wanker," she grumbled.

"Ah yes," he smiled, but "I'm your wanker." Rose stared at him. He had been dropping hints like this lately. At least, she thought they were hints. Jasmine seemed to think that he cared for her more than friends. Rose still wasn't sure about that, but it was strange how he kept saying things like that to her and the way he looked at her. Maybe she had never noticed before, but it seemed different before, more protective.

"I should get back before Jas worries about me," she said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want her to come after me. I think I could take her but Rudolph and that centaur blood," Scorpious made a face. "I'm no match for that."

"Oh really?" Rose gave him a skeptical look as she stood up. "Are you admitting defeat?"

"Hardly," Scorpious scoffed. "I'm only saying that I wouldn't want to hurt your friends. Then you wouldn't speak to me. Although," he stroked his chin, feigning to think about something, "that would make my life a lot easier in the long run."

"Oh," Rose kicked his shin. "You arse!" She went off, hearing Scorpious' laughter as she went. She spotted her friends sitting together by the fence, staring at the shack when she came out of the wood. No doubt they were still trying to figure out if a goblin or a ghoul lived there. She wondered what they would have said if she had told them that her great-uncle had once stayed there with his best friend, a werewolf. She was sure it was not a theory that they had hypothesized before.

"Hey!" Jasmine jumped up when she saw her. "Where did you go? I was getting worried."

"Sorry," Rose replied. "I wanted to keep walking. Didn't realized I had gone so far."

"It's fine," Rudolph grinned. "Let's get to the shopping, shall we?"

"Yes," Jasmine grinned, linking arms with Rose. "Lets!"

**

* * *

**

The following morning found, Rose sitting on the grass, watching the sun rise over the lake. Birds were flying about, chirping, but other than a few deer by the forest and the fowl, there were few signs of life. No other students would dare to get up so early. Rose hadn't woken up early on purpose. It felt more as if she had never gotten to sleep at all. Her mind had been a constant whirl of questions, dilemmas, and fears. She had spent most of her night hours tossing and turning in search of a comfortable sleeping position. She had received very little rest. Finally, about thirty minutes prior, she had popped out of bed, gotten dressed, and come down to the pitch.

It was so large and void without its many spectators and athletes to enhance it. She imagined all the students that would fill the stands today. Not only was it the first match of the season, it was against the two archrival teams, one who hadn't been defeated in three years. Proud parents and professors were also sure to be in attendance today, though Rose knew full well that neither one of her parents would be there. Both her father and mother were off with her aunt and uncle doing secretive Ministry work in the north.

She pictured her mother's face when she had first told her that she wanted to play Quidditch. Hermione Granger Weasley had been an extremely brave and brilliant witch all her life, but flying was not something she had ever become accustomed to. To this day, she refused to get on a broom, even if her husband was the one flying it. Hermione had tried to talk Rose out of it, especially once Ron had given Rose her first broom. It was a hand-me-down from Albus, who did not care for Quidditch like his older brother, but Rose loved it.

The first time her father had taken her on a fly, it was in their backyard. She had been only five. Hermione had yelled at Ron to the point where Rose and Hugo and hid upstairs under Hugo's bed. Rose didn't understand why her mother feared flying so much. It was hard to see the danger when she was so drawn to it, like a moth to a flame. It wasn't until she started playing Quidditch with Hugo and James that she realized what her mother worried about. She had been acting as Keeper. James was coming towards her and Lily was hot on his trail. They had accelerated to a speed that neither one of them could control in an effort to beat each other. Rose had been so preoccupied watching them, calculating where they would end up, that she didn't see the snitch as it flew by her. When she moved to avoid her cousins, she got hit by Teddy, who was in a dive for the snitch. Being much older than her, Teddy nearly crushed her. She had broken two ribs, her left arm, and her face had a few deep gashes. Hermione had fussed over her for weeks, even once she had fully recovered and had banned Quidditch games in their yard for six months. When Ron had finally convinced Hermione to allow the kids to play the game once more, Rose had decided that she would never be a Keeper.

Today, she was a starting chaser, a position that required a great deal of speed, agility, and quick-thinking. James had taken after his father, playing as Seeker since he had gotten on the team in his second year. Hugo was a beater, like their uncle. The other players on the team, Renee Flitzpat, Trevor Bonney, and West Flynnman were all seventh years and had been on the team before. West was a chaser, as was Trevor. Renee worked with Hugo. Rose was a little intimidated that she was a minority on the team, but Gryffindor was the only house team with two girls. All the other teams were composed of all boys or had only a single girl to their name.

The sun was completely above the horizon line now, casting deep shadows across the pitch. From where she was sitting it was hard to tell whether it was sunrise or sunset. The shadows and colors of the sky were a wash. There were only a few details that told her it was morning, such as the chorus of birds and the lack of students on the grounds. In a short amount of time that would change. Not long after breakfast, the students and faculty would start making their procession down to the pitch to get the best seats and she would be expected to join her teammates in the locker room. The locker room had once been a place that she envied. It held all the secrets and history of house teams past. It was the one place on the grounds that she was restricted from. Now that she was on the team, it was a privilege that no longer seemed as golden.

Suddenly, the sky was filled with larger birds that those who had been singing to her. She watched as the morning owls past their normal roost at the Owlery and straight to the Great Hall. Rose glanced down at her watch, a Muggle-contraption that her grandparents had given her and surprisingly not her Muggle-grandparents. Grandpa Arthur had found it singing to its original owner and had to de-charm it. He had given it to Rose as a birthday gift a few years ago. Once her mother had explained what it was, Rose had kept it and worn it each day. Now, it told her that she was late for breakfast. She jumped to her feet and dashed up to the castle. She didn't want anyone worrying about where she was.

"Where are you going? Or should I say, where are you coming from?" Hugo laughed as he spotted her running down the hallway. Rose laughed, stopping to catch her breath as her brother came over to give her a hug. "Ready for your big debut?" he teased, putting his arm around her.

"Are you ready to see the look on James' face when I make my first goal?"

"Of course!" They entered the Great Hall, Hugo's arm still draped over her shoulders. "But can I make a suggestion."  
"Sure," Rose smiled.

"Eat a good breakfast, but don't eat too much. You don't want to um…lose your love of food."

Rose made a face, pulling away from her brother. "Thanks, Hugo." She walked away, shaking her head. She knew he meant well, but Hugo tended to say things that made others uncomfortable or at the very least saying things that offered a bit too much information for regular conversation.  
"What's that face about?" Jasmine greeted her as she took a seat across from her and next to Rudolph.

"You remember the advice Hugo gave me when I turned fourteen?" Rose asked her.

"Yeah," Jasmine made a face of disgust.

"He had a similar reaction to share with me today."

"Words of wisdom, ladies," Hugo said as he passed them to sit with James and the rest of the team. "Words of wisdom. You'll thank me later."

"I doubt it," Jasmine called after him.

"You two are a pair," Rudolph said, handing Rose a plate full of waffles. She waved it away, taking a spoonful of fruit instead. Hugo's comments had put her off her appetite. "You should eat something a little more than that. Want some pancakes? Or some bacon?" Rose shook her head. She was still a little nervous. She didn't want to eat a lot, though she figured later she would be ravenous.

"Do you want help getting ready?" Jasmine offered, as she watched Rose fork a piece of pineapple rather harshly.

"Huh?"

"I could braid your hair back so it doesn't interfere when you are playing."

"Yeah, sure." Jasmine punched her in the arm. "Ahhhh! What the hell has gotten into you?

"That's the Rose I know," her friend beamed. "Now if you are done toying with your food, can we please go up to the tower and get you ready for today? "

Less than an hour later, Rose was back down at the pitch. Her hair was braided back, just as Jasmine had promised and she was in full uniform, complete with her pads. She was the last one to arrive in the locker room. Hugo and James were already suited up, while West and Trevor were helping Renee tie on the last of her pads. No one bothered to glance up at her as she entered. She was the only new player, the rookie who had yet to prove her worth. She plunked down on the end of the bench, by her locker, staring at the empty space. She was going to prove that she belonged on the team. She was going to show James how wrong he was not to have let her play before now. She was going to make the first goal and she was going to lead her team to their first victory against Slytherin in years.

"Now that we are all here," James announced. "We should discuss our plan for the match. It shouldn't be hard to work Rose into our team. She has been playing with Hugo and I for years and she had talent, though it is raw." Rose rolled her eyes, wanting to grab Renee's bat and club her cousin. "But I want you all to work with her and make her feel welcomed." Hugo was the only one who smiled at her. "I want you all to focus on each other. A team doesn't work unless all the parts work as a whole. Renee, Hugo – you both need to look out for West, Trevor, Rose, and I. If you see any unfriendly fire, you need to attack. That being said, West, Trevor, Rose – you three need to be agile and never look back. Always keep your eyes forward and keep moving toward that goal." He stuck his hand out. "Gryffindor on three. Ready? One. Two. Three."

"GRYFFINDOR!" All the players roared.

Trevor and West took off for the pitch, Renee and Hugo tailing behind. Rose started to go with them, when James put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him, expecting one of his I'm-Older-Than-You-So-I-Know-Better speeches. Lily had gotten annoyed of them and it seemed that after they no longer worked on her, James had decided to start working on Rose in his sister's absence.

"This is it, Rose," James said, staring her right in the eye. "Are you ready?'

"Of course," she grinned, thinking of how Lily had decked her brother last Christmas when he tried to tell her how to use her new wand. It had been the highlight of the holiday.

"That a girl," James patted her on the shoulder. "Then let's suit up and get out there."

Rose didn't waste a second lingering in the locker room. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate her cousin, but it was hard to take James seriously. He always had to have the last word, always had to be in control. It made Rose go crazy. She didn't take well to people telling her how to live her life and being the youngest made it even harder. Her whole lift felt as if it was planned out by what other people wanted her to do or thought she should do. There was rarely an occasion when someone took the time to ask her what she wanted to do. Of course, it didn't help that her family was famous for defeating the Dark Lord. It made it worse, in fact because everyone else thought she should listen to her parents and her family, thinking that they knew it all, which was far from the truth.

She waited impatiently with her teammates behind the gate, under one of the large bleachers. At the start of each match, the two competing teams waited for a whistle blow to come out and fly around before the Quaffle would be released. It was more about raising spirits and showing off than anything else, but it pleased the crowd, which was all that mattered. Anyone choosing a profession in Quidditch had to know that. The sport wasn't really about skill when it came to earning a professional status. It was about entertaining fans. Rose hadn't seen that until she was much older. Now when she watched her favorite teams, she could pick out their weaknesses all too easily. She had often wondered why better skilled players didn't fight for a right to play.

"We're going to win this," James said, mostly to himself as he joined them, passing everyone by to get to the front of the gate. Rose watched everyone's eyes follow her cousin. Regardless of how annoying she found him at times, he was a good player and he was very much respected in Gryffindor. She could hear the chanting now, the crowds of people above them calling out names and singing songs. "Get ready," James cautioned them. Each of the players mounted their brooms, Rose included.

A split second later, the whistle rang sharp and clear through the air. The team took off, one straight shot out of the pen and up into the air. The Slytherin team came out from the other end of the field. The two teams fly at one another, the Gryffindors diving down at the last second, all following James' led, while the Slytherins, clad in their green and black followed Scorpius upwards and around the many towers. Rose watched them soar over her head, amazed at how cohesive their group was. When Scorpius passed her, he winked. She rolled her eyes and ignored him. He was just trying to psych her out before the big game.

Done with the formalities, the two teams took their positions on the field for the Quaffle toss up. Rose, being new, was positioned opposite West, on the left side of Trevor. James was behind him and Hugo and Renee flagged the side Chasers. Scorpius was across from James, the other Seeker on the field. Like father, like son most people would say, considering both boys were descended from alumni who had also played as Seekers for their house teams. Madame Hooch entered the field. As one of the eldest faculty members and a survivor of the war, she was given a standing ovation the moment her feet touched the grass. Both teams clapped as she came out to the center, trailing the trunk behind her.

"I want a nice clean game from all of you, understood?" she instructed them; before she knelt down to unlatch the case. Without warning, the pair of bludgers shot up and off into the sky. Renee's eyes followed them, though she remained unflinching. Hugo, on the other hand, just smiled over at Rose, a permanent grin on his face. The snitch came next, flipping around each person's face and weaving in and out of their hair. When it buzzed over to Rose, she could feel its tiny wings against her neck and she laughed, despite her nerves. Finally, Hooch picked up the Quaffle. "Chasers at the ready," she called, lifting the ball up. "And begin."

The next few seconds were a blur of crimson and emerald as the six Chasers all went after the red ball. Rose, however, stayed still, watching the exchange. She recalled a lesson her uncle had taught her years before. Harry had sat her down one afternoon after James and Hugo and beat her and Lily at a game in their backyard. While Lily preferred to hit her brother, Rose had gone off alone to think and in the garden was where her uncle had found her. "Rose, you are a great player," he had told her.

"Easy for you to say, Uncle Harry, but not only are you The-Boy-Who-Lived, you were a star Quidditch player too."

"That may be," he had chuckled. He had pulled her into his lap, hugging her. "Let me tell you something that I learned years ago. A skilled opponent is a worth adversary, but a clever opponent, they are the troublesome ones."

It had taken some time for Rose to understand what he meant. She had seen how her mother dissected facts to come up with a solution and eventually; she had learned to use that same logic when playing Quidditch against her family members. If she couldn't fly faster than them or reach as far as they could, she devised ways to outsmart them. It took time and a lot of effort, but she had found their weaknesses and exploited them so that she could compete on the same level and that was what she had to do now. So instead of throwing herself in after the ball, she monitored her teammates and her opponents.

The first thing she noticed was how Sage Greenbourgh held the ball. He favored his right side and he tended to look over his left shoulder a bit farther than was necessary. He was increasing his blind spot significantly when he made a run for it. His partners weren't much better. Alec Maride flew with both hands firmly grasping the front of his broom. However, he positioned his hands too far forward. It wouldn't take much to tip him off balanced and cause him to nose dive into the ground. Logan Bushnell, the last of the Slytherin Chasers was in better form, though Rose did notice something. He kept getting his bootstrap caught on his broom stop. If his foot slipped ever so slightly, the buckle would snap right onto the metal guard and he would lose control of his steering.

"Weasley, what are you doing? Daydreaming?" Trevor screamed.

Rose stared over at him, glaring. "Sod off."

"Get in the game, rookie," he snapped, before taking off again.

The anger she felt had caused a bit of red to fill her cheeks. She smiled to herself. Now she was ready to get involved. She had the knowledge and she had the raw emotion. She went after Greenbourgh, who still had the ball, but instead of following behind him, as Trevor and West were doing, she dove down, nearly clipping the grass of the field. She ducked her head, keeping herself as contained and clutching the broom as best she could. Gaining speed, she raced through the air until she was under Greenbourgh's shadow, then shot upwards. She positioned herself so that she would remain directly beneath him. He didn't see her. He was too busy watching for West and Trevor.

She thrust herself forward and upward, punching the Quaffle out of his arms. The red ball soared through the air for a second, before she caught it under her arm and took off in the opposite direction for the Slytherin hoops. "Bloody hell," she heard Greenbourgh curse. She kept moving, thinking of what James had said. She didn't look back or down, only forward. She was easily the smallest player on the team and could be the fastest. She went right for the middle hoop, even though Redbach, the Slytherin Keeper was waiting for her.

"Rose!" she heard James yelling. "Watch out!" She didn't have time to worry about what he was talking about. At the last second she changed course, flying through the right hoop and scoring the first points of the game and for Gryffindor.

"Ten points to Gryffindor!" the announcer shouted as the stands went wild.

She didn't have time to join in their cheering. She clutched the ball to her chest as she avoided Alec and Logan. She weaved around the hoop poles, passing the ball off to West as she glided past him, a bright smile decorating her face.

"Way to go, rookie," Trevor pulled his broom up alongside her, extending his hand for a high-five. She slapped hands with him, before taking off with West.

West was tailing Maride, who had scooped up the ball seconds after it had fallen through the hoop. Rose had to push herself to keep up with both of them. "West!" she screamed, diving in closer. "Hit the front of his broom." West shot a confused look at her over his shoulder. "Just do it!" she insisted, moving to fly on the other side of Maride. West got closer as well, reaching to steal the Quaffle. He didn't try Rose's suggestion and Maride switched handed. Rose pulled in front of him, kicking back her leg to rest her foot on the front of Maride's broom. Immediately, it through the player off balanced and into a nose dive for the ground. It also gave Rose an impossibly easy opening to grab the ball from him. "Here," she tossed the Quaffle to West. He took off for the hoop, Trevor flying with him to watch his back.

"Another point to Gryffindor! They lead Slytherin by twenty."

"How did you know to do that?" West came back to Rose.

"I watched them," she shrugged.

"Well keep it up," West grinned.

Rose nodded. It was time to check out the rest of the team. She started flying up higher. She wanted to get a view of everyone, including the Slytherin Keeper, without looking suspicious. She went up and over the stands, higher than normal for a Chaser to be positioned. She didn't expect anyone to be watching her, so she was surprised when she saw a blur of black and green whisk by her left side.

She glanced behind her and on both sides, but didn't see anyone. She suspected that it was Scorpius. As the Seeker, he was expected to be shooting around every which way in order to capture the snitch. She continued flying, trying to find the perfect spot to pause and take in the game below. She figured that two goals in the first fifteen minutes and an assist would earn her the respect of her teammates. Now she could improve herself on her own terms. She could see her team, racing hard toward the goal again. Hugo was smacking a bludger at the Slytherin Keeper to help and James was diving, probably after the snitch on the other side of the court. She saw Scorpius come out of nowhere, also heading in the same direction.

Suddenly, something slammed into her on her right. As she whipped her head around to look something else slammed into her on her left side. She turned to see Alec and Logan, one on each side of her. Her heart pounded against her chest. This was an ambush. No one else was up here but them and no one would notice, especially Madame Hooch because they were too far up to call a penalty. Both boys flew close next to her, knocking her back and forth between them like a ping-pong ball. Rose tried to pull away, but they were too close. It was restricting her mobility. And then she saw it.

A bludger was heading straight for them. She looked frantically around, trying to find a weakness, a way out, but both Slytherin Chasers were locked on her. The bludger was less than a hundred meters from them and closing in fast. Rose shoved hard on Alec's side, but he just shoved her back. She grunted as she rammed into Logan. They gave her one last shove and bolted. Dizzy and bruised she glanced up just in time to see the bludger come right for her. She didn't have time to respond before the black ball hit her right in the abdomen, sending her shooting off the back of her broom before descending in a free fall to the ground.

Rose screamed. She could see her broom falling with her, but it was too far away to grab. She was gaining momentum, spiraling out of control, the green of the grassing playing field getting closer and closer with every second that she dropped. Her lungs were burning from the shriek she was unleashing, but she couldn't stop. She was too frightened of the impending impact.

"Rose!" She twisted her head around to see Scorpius shooting through the air, faster than she had seen anyone fly every before. He was reaching out to her. She stretched her arms upward. "Rose!" And then he had her. He grabbed her around her waist with one arm, piloting his broom with the other. She buried her head against his chest, feeling tears coming down her cheeks. Her fingers were grasping onto him so tightly she was sure it hurt. She glanced down below at the other players, noticing that James was closing in on the snitch.

"Accio broom," he cried, not noticing the moisture on his robes or her death grip. She stared mystified as her broom, only seconds from smashing into oblivion, came hurling towards them. "Now, I'm going to let you go, alright," he said, looking her straight in the eyes. "Trust me. You'll be safe." She nodded, unable to put together words. Too much was happening too quickly. "Ready?" She nodded again and he dropped her.

She fell for a split second, before landing on her own broom. Hugo was at her side in an instant, face pale. "Godric's sake, Rose," he reached forward to hug her. "What happened?" She opened her mouth to speak when she heard the buzzer sound.

"James Potter has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

"We won? We won!" Hugo hugged her again. "Let's go," he darted off to join the rest of their team which was converging on the field.

Rose stared at them and then searched for Scorpius. He was already on the ground, hurrying off the pitch to the Slytherin locker room. She sighed, shaking her head, and lowered her broom to join her teammates. Their victory didn't feel like a win.

"Lucky that Malfoy took off like a bat out of hell all of a sudden," James was saying as she landed. "I was sure he had it. Guess the dive was too much for him."

Rose felt her cheeks flush. Scorpius had given up the win to save her. Had James, her own flesh and blood even noticed that she had been plummeting to her death? She turned away from everyone and walked off the field. She heard Trevor and West call after her and Hugo yell, but she ignored them. She needed a long shower and some time alone to think.


	4. Aftermath

**Chapter Four: Aftermath**

Rose had been hiding in the library all day. She had skipped breakfast, leaving the tower before anyone else was awake. She had been dozing off in front of the library doors when Madame Pince arrived. The librarian hadn't said a word or asked the question that Rose was sure she wanted to. She simply unlocked the doors and marched into the room silently. Rose followed behind, equally as silent. She retreated to her spot in the back, immediately shedding her sweater to make a temporary pillow and rested her head on top of it.

The previous night had been exhausting. Once James had found out what really happened on the field, all hell broke loose. He had come after her at dinner, asking questions non-stop and glaring over at the Slytherin table every chance he got. Jasmine had finally snapped at him to get him away from Rose, but by then her appetite had left her and she was ready to leave. No sooner had she got up from her seat, and then James was back at her side, asking her where she was going. It was at that point that things took a turn for the worse.

Out of nowhere, Scorpius had appeared, stepping in front of Rose, facing James. "Back off, Potter. She's been through enough today."

"Don't presume to tell me what to do with my cousin, Malfoy. She's not your concern."

"May she should be. After what I saw today on the pitch, I can say for a fact that she isn't yours."

"How dare you," James had pulled out his wand then.

Rose had stared at both of them, not even breathing. Scorpius did not take out his wand, but his hand twitched in the direction of his pocket. She had pushed past both of them and ran out of the Great Hall. There was no other option at that point. She couldn't turn on Scorpius but she couldn't turn her back on her family either. She hadn't gone back to the tower and the library had been closed for an hour already. Impulse had made her head for the third floor corridor, a place which was secluded and normally vacant.

As she had raced around the pillar to the East corridor, someone had grabbed her. She had opened her mouth to scream but a hand clamped over her lips before the noise could be released. "Rose." Upon hearing the voice, she had stopped struggling. Rudolph had let her go and Jasmine had appeared out of the shadows. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"What are you guys doing here?"

"Keeping you company…away from James," Jasmine had answered, rolling her eyes when she said his name.

"Thanks."

Silence had followed. Rose had leaned back against the column, closing her eyes. She pushed back against it and slid down onto the floor. Jasmine had done the same across from her. Rudolph had stayed standing, watching both of them. "Sooo, that was some show," he had commented, breaking the lack of sound. "I'm sure it is going to have everyone talking for a while, the professors inclu- Ow!"

"Way to go, Captain Smooth," Jasmine had snapped, moving to smack Rudolph.

"No, he's right," Rose had sighed, leaning her head back. The three of them had stayed there for a while, in silence before heading back to the Common Room.

James and Hugo had been waiting, seated by the fire with Lily and Albus. Rose had been sure what would be said, but before James had had the opportunity to start his onslaught again, Jasmine gave them all a death glare, while Rudolph had shielded Rose until they reached the door to her dormitory. Once Rose had gotten into bed, no force could remove her. She had pulled the covers over her head and gone to sleep.

Sleep had not come easily. She had overheard James and Jasmine yelling back and forth down in the Common Room. Once or twice she had heard Lilly sit on the edge of her bed and whisper to her, a weak attempt to get her to come down and join her family. Eventually, Rose had fallen asleep, but even then she had been plagued by unpleasant thoughts. She had had a reoccurring dream of falling the entire night. It had been just like her fall earlier, only no one was there to catch her.

It had been a rough evening to say the least. The peaceful library was a pleasant contrast. Rose was soothed by the complete silence and lack of other students. Though her sweater was not a contender against her pillow when it came to comfort, it sufficed for the moment. It took her several moments to close her eyes. She was afraid the nightmare would return. However, the pull of exhaustion overtook her and she slipped into unconsciousness.

She didn't fall this time. Things were simply dark and tranquil. There was no noise. There was only the long-awaited solace she craved. She was unaware of how much time had passed. She felt soothed and the gentle pressure on her back was furthering her state of relaxation. The massage went deep, working out all the tension of the previous day. It wasn't until she opened her eyes and realized she was staring at the library floor that she also realized that she was awake.

Without another moment's hesitation, she grabbed the person's wrist and slammed them down on the table. "What the hell do you think you are-,"

"Hello."

"Scorpius!"

"Yes."

"What are you doing here?"

"Borrowing a library book," he selected a random book.

"Can't you find someone else to torment?" she cried, exasperated, grabbing the book out of his hand and returning it to the shelf.

"Probably," he shrugged, "but I doubt it would be nearly as amusing. Besides," he stepped in front of her, cupping her chin in his palm. "I have a soft spot for you."

Rose froze momentarily. Scorpius never touched her in public and he never touched her without reason. He had held her while she cried in third year after Gretchen Beguin called her a teacher's pet and he often helped her align herself when they practiced Quidditch together, but this was new. He was looking at her like he was thinking of doing more. She felt her cheeks redden to match her hair and quickly moved aside.

He stopped her, propping his leg up against the wall and blocking her exit. "Do you remember in third year when you got your first detention?"

"My only detention," she reminded him, more annoyed now that he had brought up the one black mark on her record.

"Whatever," he shrugged. "Still, do you remember that afternoon in McGonagell's office?"

Rose thought back. She had been so mortified when her parents had found out. There was no Howler, thankfully. Instead, her parents had come to Hogwarts, worried that she was ill or something had happened to her. They couldn't comprehend that she had completed such acts of her own free will.

It had been in their third year. Rose had been practicing with Hugo and Albus all afternoon for her upcoming transfiguration test, when Adam Beardley of Slytherin House started in on all three of them about their parents. Rose had gotten so mad when neither her brother or her cousin had said anything more than "Sod off," that she had pointed her wand at Beardley and shouted, "Tullipedias!" One second Beardley was standing before him and the next he was a flowerpot, complete with blooming tulips. Hugo had started laughing, but Albus had gone stark white. Rose had only enjoyed her success for a moment, before McGonagell had appeared out of nowhere and sentenced her to afternoon detention.

She recalled how ashamed she had felt when she had to walk through the door. Though it was all in her head, she had felt as though everyone had been staring at her when she was walking down the hall to McGonagell's classroom. It wasn't until she walked through the door that she had really felt humiliated. There was utter silence as the five students in the room stared upon her. Apparently, none of them could believe that she of all people would be in this room with them.

Scorpius broke the silence by bursting out laughing. "You can't be serious."

"As a matter-of-fact, Mr. Malfoy, I am indeed serious. Ms. Weasley, perhaps you would take a seat aside of your friend?" Professor McGonagell suggested.

Rose did as she was told, keeping her eyes down. She could only imagine what her mother would say when she found out about this. A howler was sure to arrive in the mail any day now.

"What did _you_ do?" Scorpius poked her arm with the end of his quill, leaving a small blot of ink on her uniform.

"Silence!" McGonagell snapped, striking the tip of her wand against the front of their desk.

"Sorry," Scorpius said, still chuckling to himself. He waited for a brief moment for McGonagell to turn her back on him, before leaning over to whisper to her. "Seriously, though, Rose, what did you do?"

She had refused to answer him. He had pestered her all through detention, but she remained silent. It wasn't until that evening, when they had been set free that she opened up and spoke about it with him. She shook her head, ending the memory.

"What is with you?" she snapped, hurrying to the librarian's desk.

He didn't respond. When they both got to the desk, Madame Pince raised a brow at the pair of them standing there together. Rose stifled a growl. The last thing she needed was some ancient witch giving her disapproving glares. The librarian didn't say a word out loud. As she stamped the book, her eyes spoke volumes about what her opinion of Rose and Scorpius was. She handed the book back over the countertop, still glaring. Rose snatched it up in a second, whipping around to leave. Scorpius followed close behind.

He matched her stride step for step, not pushing past her nor staying behind her. Rose was biting her bottom lip, trying to keep her anger in check. She knew she had inherited her hot temper from her father, but she resented how easily her calm demeanor could shift. They walked past other students in the hall. Some passed by without even a glance in their direction. Others openly stared and one Hufflepuff girl stumbled over her own feet when she lifted her eyes to meet Scorpius's glare. Rose almost laughed at that…almost.

They walked in complete silence. He didn't try to speak to her and she wanted nothing more than for him to leave her alone. She needed to sort things out on her own before she could deal with him and the aftermath of his actions. Being around him so closely and so frequently only confused her further. Plus if James spotted them together now, after his little talk, she would never hear the end of it from him or her parents.

When they reached the stairs to Gryffindor tower, she couldn't stop her outburst. "Why did you even do it?" she hissed, turning around sharply to face him. "Why didn't you go after the snitch like James? I would have been fine. They could have grown my bones back."

"Rose, I-,"

"Were you trying to prove something? Do you think I can't handle myself out on that pitch," she pointed her finger in the direction of the field. "I am just as good as any guy out there. Just because I got struck by that bludger doesn't mean I am done. I can still fly better than my brother, better than my cousin, and better than-,"

"Rose!"

Scorpius grabbed her arms, pinning them down to her sides, and pushing her up against the wall. She opened her mouth to snap at him, when his lips crashed down on hers. She wiggled in his grip, trying to move away at first, confused and too shocked to understand. But he held on, not relinquishing his grip on her. She felt her eyes close and she sighed. He bit down gently on the edge of her lip, causing her to gasp. He kissed her deeply, savoring the soft way her lips touched his and moving his hands down to her waist. She trailed her hands up his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breath. Her fingers ran up his neck, behind his ears, to hold his head. He pulled her closer so that their bodies were up against each other with barely enough room for them to move.

"Stop," she whispered, leaning her head back slightly. She looked at him with her eyes slightly out of focus. "I can't breathe." He smiled, and took a step back, releasing her. "Wh-what just happened?"

He shrugged. "I had to shut you up somehow."

Her eyes lit up with anger and she raised her hand. He chuckled, catching her before she could smack him. He yanked her forward, causing her to lose balance and fall into him. "Don't fight it, Rose. You can't win this one." He kissed her quickly once more, then let her go and headed off toward the dungeons.

* * *

Rose was laying in bed, staring at the ceiling as she had for the past hour. She couldn't sleep, didn't want to eat, and she was certainly not going to attempt to do any form of homework at the present moment. Her head kept on playing the memory over and over again against her will. Scorpius in the library and following her down the hall and then that kiss…She felt her hands ball up into fists as she bit down on her bottom lip. What in Godric's name was going on with him? It had to be a joke. He was probably laughing about it with his blokes right now. She was reading way too far into it.

Only she had a nagging feeling that she wasn't. Scorpius was not the type to take action lightly. Suddenly, she felt light-headed. Rolling onto her side, she closed her eyes and groaned. She had kissed her best friend. There was no way to take something like that back and it wasn't as if she could avoid him. They played on their House teams, attended the same classes, and lived in the same castle. Where could she go?

"Rose, time for dinner," Hugo called up the steps. She felt her heart stop. It hadn't dawned on her until now what her family would do if they ever found out. "Rose, are you up there?"

She heard foot steps, soft and quick on the staircase. Lily. She did not want to see her family, not after all their antics and her betrayal. She rolled off her bed in one swift motion, landing on the balls of her bare feet. As the common room door creaked open, she slid under her bed, and pulled herself up, hugging the wooden frame so that she was suspended over the floor. Lily didn't even bother to poke around. With a sweeping glance, she surveyed the room and retreated. Rose remained frozen in her hiding spot for a moment, listening to her cousins and her brother speak downstairs. She couldn't make out what they were saying, but she didn't care to know. She was more interested in hearing them exit then listening in on their gossip.

Normally, she would go to the library at a time like this, but since that was how she had gotten into this mess, she decided against it. There was always the Quidditch pitch. A good evening ride would be nice and relaxing, but the pitch was a spot frequented by Scorpius and younger students searching for a place to make-out. She had no intentions of seeing either this evening. So she came out from under the bed and sat on the floor by the wide windows that overlooked the castle grounds.

It all appeared so peaceful and serene. If she didn't know any better, she would have thought it had always been like this, but the castle had been rebuilt after the war of her parent's era. Her mother often complained about how it wasn't the same anymore. However, her father found the renovations to be a grand opportunity for updating the old structure. One of the things that had changed was the secret passage-ways. Once a route of escape for her uncle and her parents, all the hidden doors and tunnels leading in and out of Hogwarts had been eliminated as a means of protection for the future generations. It had never bothered Rose until now, when she truly needed an escape.

Fight or flight syndrome ran in her blood. Her mother had often chosen the former in her life, which explained why she was one of the most sought after witches in the Ministry of Magic. The other reason was that she had been in the war and had survived. With the exception of Rose's uncle, her mother, Hermione Granger Weasley had been in the most peril of any in the army against Lord Voldemort. Though it was true that she had voluntarily put herself in such a position, it hadn't made the fights any less harder. Hermione tended to be mute on the details of the final battle against the Dark Lord, but Rose had once heard her say that it was the worst time of her life and that she wished such an experience on no one. Another indicator and lasting impression of how horrible a time it had been was the physical marks. Rose had seen her Uncle Bill's scars and could see the pain in her Uncle George's eyes each time someone said his name outloud. Though she had never met her Uncle Fred, she understood how close the two had been. She often saw the same connection between her cousins, especially James and Lily.

Hugo and Rose had been close all their lives, but they could function without one another. James and Lily were very similar in the way they moved and spoke and acted. They were a pair through and through. When Rose had been younger, she had been jealous of their relationship. She had longed for a companion who could relate to her and talk to her like Lily and James did with each other. That had all changed the day she met Scorpius on the train. They had connected instantly the way only children could, without limits, rules, or past history. And they had continued that friendship over the years despite the dispproval of their family members. His friendship meant a great deal to her. She couldn't lose it now, especially for something as pathetic as a crush.

Glancing at the clock, she realized that her family would soon be back from dinner. Not wanting to hide under her bed again, Rose got up and headed out of the Common Room. No one was around. The corridors of the castle were empty and silent except for a few portraits that were up talking. As she went down passageway after passageway, she barely took notice of where she was going. She didn't have a plan. She only wanted to stay away from everyone who would bring up questions that she did not want to answer. As she rounded the corner in the East wing of the castle, she heard footsteps approaching from further down the hall. Turning on her heel, she retraced her steps backwards and jumped inside a small broom closet. She waited, holding her breath by the door until the footsteps had gone by and faded away.

She reached down to take hold of the doorknob, when she heard a strange sound. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the room growing larger. The walls began to widen, breaking apart and creating a huge open space with a table, chair, and bookcase stocked full of various novels and textbooks. Rose stared at the spectacle in wonder. She remembered her parents mentioning a room like this in the castle, but no one had seen it since the war. It had not appeared in a generation. Most had thought it had vanished along with some of the original architecture. She made her way slowly over to the desk, pausing at the edge to run her fingers over the wood. She didn't believe that it was real. But the tabletop was firm under her hand and the soft light from the glowing lamps that hung from the ceiling helped to put her mind at ease. She grabbed a novel from the shelf and sat down.

Three chapters later, she heard the same footsteps in the hall as earlier. She closed the book, waiting. Her eyes were transfixed on the door in front of her. The footsteps stopped. She felt her breath hitch as she saw the shadow of the person in the crack beneath the doorframe. The handle of the door jiggled as the person outside tried to turn it. Rose leapt up from her seat, darting behind the bookcase. The door didn't open, until the person performed the "Allohamora" charm. It swung open freely, allowing the stranger inside. Rose pressed her back against the firm wood of the bookshelf, cupping her hand over her mouth to silence her breathing. She didn't know what the rules were for using this room, but she was certain that by now it was after curfew and she would be getting at the very least detention if this was a professor or a Prefect. The unknown person came into the room, walking slowly towards the desk. She cursed inwardly, realizing that she had left the book on the table, a good indicator that she had been in the room only moments before.

As the person came closer, the room began to change. On the far back wall, the stone morphed to allow for a fireplace, which set itself ablaze instantly. The table and chair also changed. They became a coffee table and a dark leather couch. Then the bookcase started to transform. Rose knelt down as the shelf started to shrink into the floor and become another couch. She had not been prepared for the room to start moving. She kept herself as close to the furniture as possible, but the couch was a completely different form than the bookcase had been. She was spotted. "Hello, Rose." She peered over the couch to see Scorpius lounging on the opposite one, his eyes staring at the fireplace.

"You," she stood up, perplexed. He didn't seem all that surprised by the room. In fact, he seemed right at home.

"You were expecting someone else?" He asked, his attention still on the dancing flames.

"Not exactly." She stood next to her sofa, watching him. He didn't say anything right away. She knew she should leave and going back to the Common Room. She was sure James would be waiting for her when she arrived, but right now she would rather take on her angry, overbearing cousin then try to speak to Scorpius. There was too much she could say, most of it she wanted to but couldn't. She needed time to clear her head before they discussed the kiss. She had to figure out how to make him her friend and nothing else. "Did you know I was in here?"

"Not initially, no."

Silence filled the room. A log broke in the flames, cracking into a few pieces that scattered in the hearth. Rose felt her heart pounding in her chest. Fight or flight. Being out this late was a bad idea. Being out this late and being in the company of a Slytherin was an even worse idea. Being out this late with a Slytherin named Scorpius Malfoy was an idea bad enough to get her a Howler the following morning.

"Come here," he said, looking at her.

She shook her head.

"Come here," he repeated himself.

"No."

"Have it your way then." He was off the couch and in front of her in an instant. If she hadn't grown up with so many males in her family, she might have jumped. But since James and Hugo had tortured her from a young age on, she wasn't all that surprised by things guys did anymore. What she wasn't expecting was what he did next. He squatted down, wrapped his arms around her thighs, and picked her up, dropping her over his shoulder.

"Scorpius!" He laughed, walking her over to his couch. "Put me down!" He dropped her on the cushions, taking a seat next to her. "I am not your plaything! You can't just pick me up and cart me around whenever you want."

"May I remind you that I did ask nicely. Twice."

"Whatever, I'm going back to the tower," she growled, standing up.

He pulled her back down and into his arms. "Still fighting it, huh?" He made a tsking noise at her. "You might as well give up now."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Us, darling. You and me." Rose stilled. She felt the warmth of his body against hers and the strength in his broad arms. They were the same arms that had saved her on the pitch and the same ones that had pushed her up against the wall for that kiss. Her cheeks flushed. She closed her eyes, pausing for a moment to relish the sweet scent of his cologne and comfortable embrace. "Will you go to Yule Ball with me?" Rose's eyes shot open. She turned her head to look at him directly. "I promise I'm a good dancer," he grinned.

"Scorpius, I- I can't. We can't. It-,"

He pressed his lips against hers, pulling her up against him. She wasn't surprised this time. He was so close it was intoxicating. She felt his hands holding onto her hips, firm and controlling with a hint of possession there. She in turn let her hands run up along his arms to his shoulders, holding on as he deepened the kiss. Biting on her lip, sucking on the tip of her tongue. She couldn't catch her breath, but unlike last time, she didn't pull away. She didn't want to stop. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard to be more than friends with Scorpius. It was starting to look very appealing. There was a heat growing in the body. It was radiating off of her and she was sure the same could be said for him. She bit his bottom lip, hearing him suck in a breath. His one hand came up behind her head, under her hair to turn her face slightly. Then his teeth were nibbling light on her earlobe. Rose sighed against him, closing her eyes.

"Scorpius," she breathed his name.

"Say yes."

"Ok. Yes."

"Mmm," he captured her lips with his own, smiling as he kissed her. "I knew I could get you to say yes."

Rose pulled back, studying his face. "This is crazy, you know."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, his eyes never leaving her. "Some people might say that. And I would say, Sod off, to them."

She smiled, shaking her head. "What about our families?"

"They'll learn to deal with it," he shrugged.

"Classes?"

"We have assigned seats, but between periods is a different story. I plan on snogging you every chance I get." Rose smiled again, rolling her eyes.

"Quidditch?"

"We are still going to kick Gryffindor's ass, but what else is new?" Rose punched him. "Oui!" He grabbed her in a hold, running his hand down her side lightly tickling her. She squirmed and let out a small scream. He chuckled and let her go, moving to kiss her again. "Any other questions?"

"Yeah," she sat up, hands on her hips. He waited. Her face broke into an evil smirk. "What took you so long?"


	5. Confession

**Chapter Five: Confession**

When Rose got back to Gryffindor Tower, she raced past everyone and went right to her bed. Jasmine was waiting for her, reading a book at her desk. She opened her mouth to say something, most likely to ask where Rose had been, but Rose beat her to it, telling her all about the Room of Requirement and Scorpius's offer to take her to the Yule Ball.

"You said yes?" Jasmine asked, her face all lit up. Rose nodded. "Yes!" Jasmine screamed, jumping up and down on her bed. "Finally!"

"Jas," Rose tried to hush her.

"Godric, this is exciting! I can't wait for us to go shopping. We'll go first thing tomorrow! Rudolph can't go this time. Just us girls. We have to get you something really sexy. He's not going to know what hit him!"

"Who?" A soft voice asked from the doorway and both Jasmine and Rose turned. Lily stood by the steps, watching them both with an indescribable look on her face. Rose felt her arms tingle as the hairs rose up. "Scorpius Malfoy?"

"Lily," Jasmine began, but Rose's cousin held up her hand to stop her.

"I know."

Rose stared at her. "How?"

"It wasn't hard," Lily said, sitting down on Rose's trunk at the edge of her bed. "I kind of figured you two had been talking for a while and the other day at the Quidditch match…"

"Did you tell James?" Jasmine snapped, leaping off her bed and coming over to where Lily and Rose were.

"Only that I thought something was going on," Lily admitted. "I didn't have any proof or anything." Jasmine sent a killer look in Lily's direction while Rose groaned and flopped onto her bed. She curled up, holding her knees against her chest. Lily's confession helped clear up a few things, like why James had been so out of line lately. Normally he was a live wire, but lately he had been getting worse. "I'm sorry, Rose!"

"You know your brother. Didn't you think before you said anything to him?" Jasmine asked, accusingly. Lily shook her head. She tried to say something else, but Jasmine cut her off. Rose was still thinking, still processing silently. "You don't understand them. You never will. She's been hiding this since first year because she was so afraid of your reaction. Well the cat's out of the bag now. Thanks a lot."

Lily actually looked like she might cry. "Rose, honestly, I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I just assumed-,"

"Hey Lily, did you ever hear that Muggle phrase?" Jasmine started in again. "When you assume it makes an ass out of you and-,"

"Stop it," Rose snapped suddenly, kneeling on her bed. "I don't want to hear it. Any of it!" She sighed, tucking her hair behind her ear. "This is my fault. I should have been brave enough to tell James and Albus off back in first year. I should have stood my ground and then none of this would have ever happened. It's just as much my fault as it is theirs." Jasmine regarded her quietly, no longer a spitfire with words. Lily had also gone silent. "I have to tell them. I can't let this snowball out of proportion anymore."

She went over to her desk, rooting around the drawers. Jasmine made an exhausted noise, moving to flop down on her own bed. Lily remained where she was on top of Rose's truck, unflinching, but visibly less confident than when she had entered the room. After a moment or two, Rose pulled something out of the top drawer. She turned to Lily.

"They are down in the Common Room," she said softly. Rose nodded and headed for the door. "But Rose you don't have to-," The door slamming cut off Lily.

"All hell's about to break loose," Jasmine stated.

Hugo and Albus were playing wizard's chess by the fire, while James was talking to a fifth year witch about her potion's essay. Hugo saw Rose approaching first. "Hey sis," he smiled. "Want to play a round? I'm beating Albus. You can be the next victim."

"Actually, I want to talk to you three about something," she declined, taking a seat across from them. James picked up on the serious tone in her voice and wrapped up his conversation. Albus and Hugo shared a concerned glanced at one another before pushing their game board back. Once she had their attention, she placed two tickets on the table in front of them. They were dated for the past summer and a picture was attached to the back with a small paperclip. She pushed them towards Hugo, but James picked them up. "I know Lily already told you of her suspicions. I'm here to tell you that they are true."

James's face turned a dark shade of red that could have rivaled her father's standard angry face. He passed the papers over to Hugo, wordlessly. His eyes were intense and fixed on the table in front of them. But when he spoke his voice was clam and level. "How long?"

"Since first year."

Hugo laughed, passing the items over to Albus, who was very, very silent. "Whoa," he chuckled. "So much for watching out for her, huh, James?"

Rose could tell that the comment was not amusing to her cousin, but James did not raise his voice. Instead, he looked her directly in the eye and asked, "Are you sure about this, Rose?" At first she didn't know how to answer him. She hadn't expected this. He seemed rational and coherent. This was not the James she had interacted with over the last few weeks. It was strange to hear him so mild-tempered. "Can you trust him?"

Without hesitation, she nodded. "Yes."

Albus let out a breath he had been holding. James glanced at him momentarily, then turned his attention back to Rose. "Does the family know about this?"

"No," Rose shook her head, as Albus handed back the tickets and picture. " I never told anyone but Jas and Rudolph."

"Why?" Hugo's question seemed silly. Rose smiled at her brother, sadly. James had a strange expression on his face. Albus patted Hugo on the back. "I get it," he sighed, leaning back into his chair. Then almost as an after-thought, "Sorry, sis."

"I'm not upset. Not anymore. I know there is bad blood between our parents and Scorpius' parents, but that doesn't mean I have to avoid him. He's been a good friend to me since we met. I have always been able to count on him. I've always been comfortable with him." She stopped herself before saying too much. She knew what she had to say to make this stick, but she was afraid. She didn't want to hurt their feelings. She wanted them to understand her need to have Scorpius in her life, but she wasn't sure how to do it without it sounding offensive.

"Go on," Albus coaxed, clearly able to tell she was holding back.

She nodded, no longer making eye contact with James or any of them. She fixed her eyes on the table, more precisely on the picture of her and Scorpius at the World Cup from last summer. "I've never really felt like I've belonged with our family. James, you and Lily have such a strong bond, and you all seem to be so content with the reputation we carry because of our parents, but I never wanted that. I always wanted to be my own person and create my own reputation. I know the war was hard and I'm not trying to bash Mum or Dad or Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. It's not like that at all. It's hard to explain," she sighed. "I never felt connected to you the way I do to Scorpius."

All three boys stared at her. James opened his mouth to say something, but Hugo cut him off. "Rose, why didn't you say anything before?"

"I felt stupid," she shrugged. "I mean who doesn't want to be the daughter of Hermione Granger Weasley and Ronald Weasley?"

"Yes, but we are your family," Albus insisted, reaching across the table to take her hand. "You should be able to rely on us."

"I wanted to. I didn't know how."

"I'm sorry," James suddenly blurted out. His words were softer than before, but the exclamation was still strong. "This is my fault. I shouldn't have been so protective of you that day on the train. I instilled a sense of distrust in you. I made you keep this from us."

"No James," Rose shook her head, placing her free hand on his arm. "No one is to blame for this. I kept a secret because I thought it would save us all pain, but in the end it has only proven to hurt our relationship more. The more time that past, the more lies I had to tell to keep it under wraps and the more reason I gave you not to trust me." She paused to look at Hugo and Albus, before saying, "I don't want to keep things from you anymore. I want to be part of this family."

"Alright!" Hugo cheered, a big smile plastered over his face. Rose couldn't hold back her smile. Albus grinned too. "So can we give him a hard time when he comes to pick you up for the dance?"

"Hold it," James said. "I'm still not sure if it is such a good idea for Rose to be dating Malf– Scorpius. We don't know him that well and all these years of hiding the relationship don't make him look too appealing." Rose felt her heart sink slightly. Things had been going so well. She had assumed that James would be ok with the Yule Ball arrangements. "I think you should tell the family first."

"What?"

"Yes," Albus agreed. "However, the Yule Ball is in two weeks. Tickets are on sale tomorrow. Rose needs an answer soon."

"Then send the owl tonight," James suggested. Before Rose could object, he rose from his seat and left.

Dejected, she returned upstairs to her bedroom, where Jas and Lily were waiting. "So?" Jas pried.

"They took it well," she said quietly.

"I didn't hear any yelling," Lily commented, her voice more cheery than earlier.

"So we're good to go shopping tomorrow, then?"

"No," Rose shook her head, feeling a familiar burn at the edge of her eyes.

"Why ever not?"

"James said I could go only if my parents are made aware of what is going on," she informed her cousin and friend.

Lily gasped and Jas swore. "Bollocks!"

"What are you going to do?" Lily asked.

"Start writing an owl to my Mum," Rose shrugged. There was nothing else she could do. If she wanted to pursue a relationship with Scorpius it was time that she brought their hidden relationship into the light.

She went over to her desk, pulling out a piece of parchment from the side drawer. Her quill hovered over the inkbottle for a split second, but then wavered as it came to pass over the paper. She didn't know where to begin. She figured that her mother would be more understanding than her father, however since she was the only girl and her mother had strong opinions about how witches should operate in society, she wasn't so sure. Taking a deep breath, she began.

_Dear Mum and Dad, _

_I've been asked to the Yule Ball. While this is exciting news, it is not why I am writing. I'm owling you to let you know who invited me to the ball and to inform you that I will be attending with him. The wizard in question is Mr. Scorpius Malfoy. I realize that this may seem shocking to you, especially since I have never mentioned him to you before. I have a confession to make. Scorpius and I have been friends since we met on the Hogwarts Express in first year. _

_This past week, during the first Quidditch match of the season, I was knocked off my broom by a bludger. I would have been in the Hospital Wing for at least a week and out of classes had it not been for Scorpius. He gave up catching the Snitch and leading the Slytherin House Team to victory in order to catch me and save me from the fall. This is just an example of how he has been a friend to me throughout the years and now that we are older, our bond has begun to take on a different meaning. _

_I am writing you as advised by James to make you aware of this relationship. I apologize for keeping this from you. I thought I was doing the right thing. I see now that hiding my actions from my family was wrong and this is my first step at trying to make it right. _

_All my love,_

_Rose _

When she put her quill down, she read over the letter once more. It wasn't her best work, but it got the point across. She was sure her mother would have something to say and even more sure that her father would speak up. With a sigh, she folded up the parchment and stuck it in an envelope. Aro, the owl Hugo and her shared was asleep on his perch at the back of the room, when she arrived at the Owlery moments later. She felt guilty for waking him up, but she was sure that feeling would get worse by morning when her parents read the letter.

As she ran back to the castle, she felt both relief and worry wash over her. In a way she felt lighter, more at ease now that the secret was out. There would be no more hiding, no more sneaking around. Whatever her parents said, at least she had been truthful with them and had no reason to lie anymore. On the other hand, if her parents did see a problem with this relationship, she had no doubt in her mind that James would resume his role of reinforcer. She was not pleased with that idea.

She wondered briefly if Scorpius had decided to inform his parents. Going to the Yule Ball together would make their relationship public. People might not assume that they had been together for the past several years, but the would at least be smart enough to put together the incident at the game and the dance. Word would spread from the students to their parents and eventually the Malfoys would find out. Being the prestigious family that they were, she was sure they would be one of the first to hear the scandalous news. For a moment, she was thankful she had decided to enlighten her family. It would have been far worse if her parents had found out after the Malfoys. She could only imagine the look on her father's face.

Passing through the portrait into the Gryffindor Common room, she tried to be as quiet as possible. It was late. The room was empty, save one chair by the fireplace. "Hugo?" She spotted her brother slumped over. He looked like he had fallen asleep while waiting for something.

"Mmm?"

"Hugo," she gave him a light shove.

"Rose!" He sat up straight, blinking back the sleepiness. "How did it go?"

"I sent them an owl," she raised an eyebrow at him. "They won't read it 'til tomorrow morning." She took a seat across from him.

"Are you nervous?"

"A little," she admitted. "I'm more afraid of Mum, actually. Dad will yell. I know that. But Mum," she shook her head. "I don't know what she will say."

Hugo chuckled. "I have a hunch."

"Really?" Rose made a face. "Care to fill me in?"

"Do you remember your second year? When we were at the train station waiting to board?"

"No."

Hugo nodded. "Mum wasn't happy. Dad had wanted to use Grandpa's flying car to bring us to the station. Said it brought back memories of his second year. Uncle Harry was all for it and Aunt Ginny to, but Mum said no. That they were a part of the ministry and couldn't take such risks." He laughed, more to himself than at the story. "Anyway, when we got to the station, you took a seat off to the side with your trunk. Mum and Dad were busy talking to the other parents. I must have been with James and Lily. Malfoy–," he shook his head.

"Sorry, bad habit. Scorpius came over to you and the two you started talking about your summers. It took a moment or two, but when Mum saw what was going on, she stormed over there. She didn't say anything to Scorpius, but she told you to come over with us. And that's why Mr. Malfoy stepped in. He said something to Mum about the ties that bind and she snapped back at him about a ferret or some nonsense like that. Either way, they separated you two."

Rose listed to the story silently, trying to remember the day Hugo was talking about. There were few memories from her younger years that she recalled. Only important events like holidays with her family or Jasmine's birthday really stuck. A strange gnawing feeling began to grow in the pit of her stomach. Maybe sending the letter hadn't been such a good idea.

"Hey," Hugo reached over and put his hand on her knee. "It will be fine. It's been years since then. I'm sure whatever happened between Mum and Mr. Malfoy is dead and buried. After all, the war is ancient history." He stood up and stretched. "I'm off to bed. Get some sleep, sis."

"Night," she waved as he walked off toward the boy's dormitory. He gave her a wave and disappeared up the steps. Rose slunk down in the chair.

Come morning, she was going to be in serious trouble.

* * *

"Morning." Rose was startled by Scorpius, as he took a seat next to her at the Gryffindor table.

She glanced around, noticing Jasmine's shrug and James watching them. "Are you crazy?" she hissed.

He smirked. "Possibly." He didn't seem bothered by all the stares or the murmurs that were going around the room. Even though the war was over, loyalties and old traditions were hard to suppress. Most House members stuck to eating meals with their own. It was not unheard of to see a Ravenclaw eating with a member of Hufflepuff or a Gryffindor sharing a meal with them, but a Slytherin at Gryffindor. Rose had never heard of such a thing happening before.

What was more surprising was who appeared seconds later. "Mind if we join too?" Rose nearly choked on her orange juice as she saw Alec Maride and Logan Bushnell standing behind her. They seemed to be waiting to get the go ahead from her, so she managed a nod. "Thanks!" Logan's face broke into a grin. They took seats on the other side of Scorpius. Then Logan leaned forward onto the table and called over to Rose. "Um, no hard feelings about what happened the other day at the game?"

Now it was Rose's turn to smirk. Never would she have expected to hear those words come out of Logan's mouth, but seeing him waiting, she had to smile. "It's just a game," she extended her hand to him. He looked relieved and shook it. James didn't say anything, but Rose could tell that he was not pleased. Lily, however, was smiling to herself. Albus was watching the interchange, curiously. Rose figured he was torn between his brother and her.

"So, I guess you'll be going to Hogsmeade today?" Scorpius said to her.

"You would be guessing right," Rudolph chimed in, from where he sat next to Jasmine. "And believe me, they can take all day!"

Jasmine shot him a look before putting on her best smile. "We have some serious shopping to do," she insisted.

"I thought you might," he flashed a toothy grin. Rose felt a small blush rise in her cheeks. "The boys and I are going to be practicing all day," he leaned forward to look at Rudolph. "You're welcome to join in if you want."

"Really?" Rudolph looked pretty pleased with the offer, until he noticed James staring at them. "Um, I'm not really that good."

Scorpius, who seemed blissfully unaware of the glares he was receiving, made a face. "Just because you aren't on the team doesn't mean you don't have skill. And besides, like Rose said, it's just a game. It's supposed to be fun." He paused for a moment, as if considering something, but before he had a chance to say more, Rose's brother arrived.

"Good mo-," Hugo stopped speaking when he noticed the new additions to their regular group. "Hello."

"Hello Hugo," Scorpius reached out to shake his hand. There was a second's hesitation, hardly noticeable before Hugo made contact. "Thought I'd join you for breakfast. If that's alright." They dropped hands as Logan and Alec properly introduced themselves. "Well this is nice," Hugo said, sitting down. He sounded genuine. "Will you be joining us for dinner as well?"

The question was light and friendly, but everyone went still. Everyone but Scorpius, who seemingly had it all figured out already. "Actually, I was thinking that perhaps you would like to come over to our side and dine with the Slytherin house."

"That would be–,"

"Absolutely not," James grumbled, cutting Lily off. He didn't snap or yell, the way Rose assumed he would. She guessed he was waiting for her to get her Howler. He probably thought her parents would put her in her place.

"Potter," Scorpius started. He stopped for a moment. "James. I am trying to bridge the gap that our parents couldn't. I don't want to be held back by old wounds and past events."

"No. You want to date my cousin without repercussions."

"Yes, I am interested in pursuing a relationship with Rose, but she belongs with her family. I understand that if I want to be in her life, I must be in yours as well." Rose couldn't understand how he kept so calm. He sounded so mature. She knew he had a way of charming people. Usually his good looks helped with that, but she was positive that his physical appearance would have no affect on James. "I'm not asking you to be my friend, but I would appreciate it if we could reach an understanding and be civil."

"That is fair," Albus agreed. Everyone looked at him. He had been silent until now, only watching the conversation. Rose had almost forgotten about him. James turned to look at his brother. Albus stared right back at him. "They did come over here. They are making an attempt. You should as well." With that said, he got up from the table and walked out of the Great Hall. Rose mouthed a silent thank you at him before he turned away from them completely.

Wordlessly, Scorpius stuck out his hand across the table. Rose held her breath. On one side of her boyfriend sat two Slytherins and on his other side her and the rest of Gryffindor. She knew she wasn't the only one watching this with strained silence. James started to move when the cry of owls interrupted the exchange. Rose gave a little jump as she watched the birds diving into the Great Hall from the large opening at the front of the room.

All around her packages, letters, and newspapers were deposited. Each time an item dropped she grew a little tenser. The five minutes that the creatures fluttered about the room felt like an eternity. She watched them hover over the tables, dropping and diving. She waited for Aro. But he didn't come. When the room had been cleared of all the owls, she glanced across the table at Hugo. He shook his head, a confused expression on his face. Rose sat back, staring uneasily at her plate. She had a horrible feeling that this wasn't a mistake.

The moment between James and Scorpius had passed. While neither seemed to be happy about the unfinished outcome, neither tried to open the lines of communication again. Alec and Hugo started discussing something about the professional Quidditch league, while Logan moved down to fill Rudolph in on the details of their upcoming practice. Jasmine and Lily made eye contact across the table, before turning to Rose.

"Maybe they're fine with it," Jasmine suggested, a hopeful tone in her voice.

"Maybe Aro got delayed by the weather," Lily said. Rose didn't say anything. "Either way, you still have a whole day of shopping ahead of you."

"Right!" agreed Jasmine cheerfully. "And we should get ready to leave soon before the rest of the school goes.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Rose pushed her plate back away from her. "Will I see you later?" she asked Scorpius.

"Dinner?" he offered with a smile.

"It's always good to try something new," Hugo gave his input.

"Dinner it is then," she replied. She started to get up to leave, when she felt a tug on the edges of her robe. "Yes?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She felt around her robes for her wand, which was in her side pocket, safe and secure. "I guess I have a lot of teaching ahead of me," he commented, before pulling her face down gently to plant a soft kiss on her lips. "Have fun shopping."

She almost felt giddy as she stood up. How could she have gotten lucky enough to have her family, her friends, and Scorpius all together? There had to be a catch. As if to answer her thoughts, Albus returned. He looked a bit out of breath, as if he had been running. "Rose," he started, but she already knew what he was going to say.

"Where are they?"

The entrance to McGonagall's office was on the other side of the castle, but Rose wasn't supposed to go to the office. She had been asked to go to her private chambers. While this wasn't a normal request, she suspected the offer had something to do with her parent's legacy more so than the fact that they were here at such an unorthodox time. She knocked on the outer door only once before she was ushered in.

Hermione Granger Weasley and Ronald Weasley were not the intimidating parents that most people envisioned, but to Rose they were still a force to be reckoned with. She hadn't expected them to come to Hogwarts, but thinking back on how upset they had been over her one and only detention, maybe admitting that she was involved with their enemy's only son was worthy of a visit. When Rose entered the room the first thing she noticed was not her parents or the Headmistress, but the other people in the room, Draco Malfoy, Scorpius' father and Scorpius himself. She had no idea how he had gotten there before her or without her seeing him.

"Good morning, Ms. Weasley. I trust you are well," McGonagall greeted her. She motioned for Rose to take a seat between her parents. Rose did as she was asked, not wanting to cause a scene. "Now that we are all present, we can begin. Hermi– excuse me. Mrs. Weasley, would you like to go first?"

"I want her examined. I want tests done to see what kind of charm she's under." Rose was stunned by the tone in her mother's voice. She had never heard her mother speak like that. It was more than protective. It was on the brink of outraged. Never mind the fact that what her mother was suggesting was completely insane.

"You think he bewitched her with magic?" Mr. Malfoy scoffed.

Ron Weasley turned an angry eye to his old classmate. "Are you suggesting otherwise, Malfoy?"

"I believe I am, Weasley."

"And what, pray tell are you implying?" Hermione asked, her voice tight.

Mr. Malfoy smirked and Rose could see where Scorpius got his looks from. His father was a handsome man and he knew it. The sparkling grin he was displaying now was a complete gem. It was no wonder how he had made her father so mad. Like Scorpius had acted with James all the words and threats voiced by her parents seemed to roll off of him. He acted like he didn't have a care in the world. "Pity you aren't as smart as you used to be, Granger."

"It's Weasley now."

"Pity," he sighed. "But if you think for one second that any son of mine would stoop so low as to use magic to win the affection of a beautiful woman, you are mistaken. We don't practice magic like that." He winked at Rose, a devilish smile playing across his lips.

"Don't you dare look at my daughter like that!" Ron hissed through his clenched jaw.

"Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Weasley, please restrain yourselves. This is an educational institution, not some excuse for reliving the old days," McGonagall reprimanded them. Rose saw Scorpius put his hand on his father's arm. Mr. Malfoy looked his son for a moment, then nodded. Their silent conversation was a mystery to her, but whatever had passed between them seemed to calm down the attitude. When he spoke again, his tone was even and calm.

"My apologies. I am merely frustrated because I do not understand where the problem lies."

"The problem is that your son is compromising our daughter's future," Ron growled, his hands gripping the handles of his chair with far more pressure than needed.

"I disagree entirely. How do you know that your daughter wasn't the one to make the first move?" Mr. Malfoy pointed out. "What if I were to say to you that I was concerned for my son's marks because of your daughter's increasing involvement in his life?"

Rose felt her cheeks light up, but her father's face had gone as red as his hair. "Now listen here, Malfoy. I may not have killed you during the war, but don't think I won't reconsider that act now. I do have immunity from the Ministry. And I'm sure I could make it look like an accident."

"I'm sure you could, Weasley. You never were good with using your wand."

"That's it! I'm going to–"

"ENOUGH!" McGonagall boomed. Both men were still standing, facing each other, wands at the ready. "Sit down at once!" she barked. Harnessing their anger, the two wizards took their respective seats, eyes on the other, watching carefully for any sudden movements. McGonagall put her hand to her head. Rose thought she heard her mutter something that sounded suspiciously like, "I'm too old for this," but when her hand fell back down on the desk, the strict Headmistress face was back on. "Rose," she said evenly. "Do you have anything you wish to tell us?"

_Start acting your age_ sounded like a good one, but she figured it would only make things worse for her in the long run. "It's like I stated in my letter," she answered. "We've been friends since we met on the Hogwarts Express during our first year. We didn't tell anyone because of this," she gestured to the commotion around her, "And we are speaking up now because we're tired of hiding."

Rose could see the hint of a smile on her lips, but McGonagall only nodded, "Thank you." She turned to her left. "Scorpius?"

"Nothing further to add, your honor."

"Well then, this appears to be a domestic dispute and I suggest you handle it on your own," she paused, giving a serious glare to everyone, "As adults." There was silence in the room for a few moments as each of them regarded the other with a mixture of emotions. McGonagall dismissed them. "Have a pleasant day."

Rose followed her parents out of the room, Scorpius not far behind her and his father in tow. As soon as the door to McGonagall's chambers had shut, Ron turned around with a determined look upon his face. Mr. Malfoy didn't look concerned, but Rose and Scorpius had stepped aside, leaving Hermione between the two. "Alright, stop it. Both of you," she said.

"Mione, you heard what he said," Ron grumbled. "You can't expect me to–"

"Yes. Yes, I can, Ronald." Rose winced. She knew her mother only called her father that when she was at her wit's end. "The children have classes to study for and a ball to prepare for." Mr. Malfoy looked surprised by this assertion. Rose found herself a bit perplexed. Ron made a face, but it was Scorpius who spoke.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." He came forward, bowing slightly in front of her. "I promise to have Rose back in her dormitory at a reasonable hour, so as not to keep her from her sleep or her studies," he vowed.

Hermione didn't smile but she didn't disregard his gesture either. "You two should go. I'm sure you have things you need to be doing."

"Of course," Scorpius gave her a curt nod and went on his way.

Rose moved to leave as well, but her mother stopped her. "Not so fast, young lady. We are going to have a talk."

"But you said–,"

"I believe," Mr. Malfoy grinned. "that she was referring to me." He gave her a nod. "Weasley. Granger. Always a pleasure."

Once he was gone from the corridor, the inquisition began. "Rose Weasley, what on earth were you thinking?" Hermione asked.

Rose looked at her mother, at the anger in her face and the wear the years had caused her. She looked into those rich eyes of hers and tried to see the woman who had stood against Voldemort, the witch who had been top of her class, the leader that had won over the Ministry on so many outdated laws. The harder she looked the more impossible it was the find a flaw. She lowered her gaze. "I love him."

No words came out of Hermione Granger's mouth. She stood transfixed on her daughter, hardly able to comprehend the three words she had spoken. Ron Weasley was not plagued by shock. "He's not good for you, Rose. His family comes from a dark background. I won't have any daughter of mine getting involved in magic like that."

"Scorpius doesn't practice dark arts! He's not a Death Eater!"

Her father's eyes widened. "What did you say?"

As awful as it had been to say Voldemort's name out loud during her parent's generation, nothing compared to how dangerous it was to say "Death Eater" in her family. Those words were a blunt reminder of the war and the friends they had lost in battle. Though Rose knew it was hard for her parents to hear, she stood her ground. She remained poised, staring at her father. "He's not like that."

"Do you know anything about his father? His mother even?" Ron pressed.

"No."

"So how can you be sure?"

"Not everyone is as famous as you, Dad." As soon as she said it, she knew she had crossed the line. While she didn't share her family's interest in fame, she knew that it wasn't right to throw it in their faces either. The look on her father's face had gone from anger to shock to something she couldn't read. Her mother was standing off to the side, looking tired and washed out. It was not the image Rose was accustomed to seeing.

"We'll talk about this when you come home for break," Ron mumbled. "And you _will _be home for break." Rose nodded numbly, hearing the disappointment in his voice. It was worse than if he had yelled at her. She knew how to handle his hot-headedness. This new Ron, the one that couldn't contend against her, this man she barely knew.

"Goodbye," her mother paused to give her a brief kiss on the forehead, and then the two were gone, off to leave the grounds and Apparate home. Rose stood in the hall for several moments, in silence, trying to clear her head.


	6. Preparations

**Chapter Six: Preparations**

"Are we still going shopping?" Jas asked, hesitantly when Rose walked through the door to the Common Room.

Rose didn't hold back a her tired eyes, but she nodded. "Just let me grab my coat from my room. I'll be right down."

Jasmine didn't press for information. She merely nodded. "Ok. I'll wait here. No rush."

Rose was normally a very observant person, which made her an asset to the Quidditch team. However, the morning's events had been chaotic and draining. It took her several minutes to locate her jacket. It wasn't until she had it on that she noticed the envelope lying upon her bed. Her full name was written in very elaborate script across the front. It wasn't her mother's handwriting and she knew Rudolph and Jasmine wouldn't bother to write her a letter when they could easily find her to talk.

Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she used her fingernail to slice open the envelope. There were two pieces of parchment inside. One was a letter addressed to her and the other was addressed to a Madame Maria Abea Toshapper of Toshapper Fashions in Hogsmeade. Both letters were signed Draco Malfoy. Rose briefly skimmed over Madame Toshapper's letter before dropping it on the bed and reading hers.

Dear Ms. Weasley,

I would like to formally apologize for this morning's encounter. It was the not the first impression I intended to make upon meeting you for the first time. Scorpius is my only son and as such, the very thing I treasure most in this world. His choice to pursue a relationship with you did come as a surprise to my wife and myself. Decisions in my past have affected my relations with your family negatively and I had hoped that the grudges between us would fade with time. However, as it seems that there is much work to be done to obtain such a resolution, I would like to apologize again to you.

I have already spoken with Scorpius. The sins of my past should not affect his future, nor yours. I am deeply sorry for any pain I may have caused you or your family. Please take the enclosed letter with you on your shopping excursion and purchase whatever you fancy. Being a wizard, I myself have no taste for dress shopping and I know how young women like to spend their days browsing through the stores. Madame Toshapper is an old friend of mine. Be sure to give her my letter and she will assist you with whatever you like. Please accept this as a peace offering from my wife and I to you.

I give Scorpius and you my blessing and I hope you have a fabulous evening together at the Yule Ball.

Sincerely,

Draco Malfoy

Rose glanced over the letter again. The full impact of what had been said had not yet hit her. She grabbed both letters and re-folded them before stuffing them in her jacket pocket. While she had been saving money for the Yule Ball in hopes of getting enough money to buy a nice dress, having shoes, and other accessories to go with the dress would be amazing. She paused in the doorway. She felt guilty for letting Mr. Malfoy buy her outfit, especially after how her parents had acted in the Headmistress' office. He had been very cordial to them, a bit on the snarky side, but overall polite. It seemed wrong to accept his money now.

"Rose?" She gave a little jump as Jasmine came up the stairs. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Rose nodded. "Sorry. Just a lot of strange things happening this morning."

"Why? What now?"

Rose pulled the letters out of her jacket and handed them over to Jasmine. "Oh Godric! This is…Wow! Rose tell me you're going to get a gorgeous dress? Maybe something by Jessica McFlintock? Or a Bat Azaria?"

"Jas! I can't accept this."

"Why not? He obviously wants you to do it. It would be rude not to."

Sighing, Rose shook her head. "No. Scorpius and I already have enough complications in our relationship. We don't need to add in our differences in finance."

Jasmine didn't seemed phased by the comment. "So he's got money? Big deal."

"It is a big deal! You know how poor my Dad's family was before the war. This kind of thing would set him over the edge. It would kill him if he knew I was accepting money from a guy who used to make fun of his poverty."

"Things are never going to change then."

"What? How can you say that?"

"Rose," Jasmine put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen to me, I know you love your parents and I know this whole thing is hard on you and hard on them, but if you don't start making strides toward changing the relationship between the Malfoy family and the Weasley/Potter clan, there is always going to be a riff. Accepting Mr. Malfoy's generous offer isn't about him having money. It's about meeting him halfway and being open to his kindness. If you close him out, it sends the wrong signal, regardless of how good your intentions may be. He loves his son just like your parents love you. He is attempting to right the wrongs of his past. Can't you just let him do that?"

She took a moment to process what her friend had just said. As weird as it felt to be accepting so much money, Jasmine had a good point. If she made her decision based off the past, she was no better than her parents. She had to work at the grudge. She had to find ways to bridge the gap between them if she wanted Scorpius to be accepted. "You're right," she nodded. Then she smiled. "Thanks, Jas."

"Hey, don't worry about it," her friend shrugged. "Besides, I'm going to get a lot of entertainment watching you shop for something."

"You mean more so than usual?" Rose joked.

"Obviously."

The two girls headed down from the tower. As they walked through the castle, they saw other students off to Hogsmeade as well. They were almost out the doors when they heard the shouting. Rose was about to ask Jasmine about the noise when someone flew over their heads.

"Duck!"

"Watch out!"

"Coming through!"

"Just what do you think you are doing, you numbskulls?" Jasmine yelled after Rudolph, Scorpius, Hugo, Logan, and Alec. The guys laughed as they continued flying through the open corridor out to the Quidditch pitch. "I see the discussion in the office really affected Scorpius."

"I have a feeling his parents are lot less concerned than mine," Rose remarked, before regaling the story to her friend about what had happened with the Headmistress.

"That's pretty intense," Jasmine remarked as they entered Hogsmeade.

"I know there is a history between my parents and his, especially his father, but Mum never told me the specifics, just that there was conflict before the war and during."

"And afterwards?" Jasmine asked, opening the door to the local pub. The girls had decided a Butterbeer was needed before they started their shopping quest.

Rose shrugged. "I don't know. She never mentioned him after the war was over. I don't think they saw each other until that day on the platform when they all realized they were sending their children off to Hogwarts."

"Seems a long time to hold a childhood grudge," Jasmine commented.

"Have you met James?" Rose laughed. Jasmine nodded. "Well at least they all seem to be getting along better now. I'm glad Rudolph went off to play Quidditch with them. I could tell he was hurt that he didn't make the team this year."

"Yeah, well he'll get over it," Jasmine said. "Besides, he's more interested in the marketing aspect of it anyway."

"What?" Rose looked up over her glass at her friend. "When did that happen?"

Jasmine made a gesture somewhere between a shrug and a slouching motion. "Last summer, I think. He went to see a football game. A Muggle sport and he said it was wicked, totally barbaric the way they threw themselves around the field, but he was in awe of all the tapestries and the memorabilia. He said even the food was about the players and the team. He wanted to try something like that here at school, but McGonagell said no."

"Wow," Rose sighed. "Why didn't I hear about this before?"

"He was bummed. He thought the money could be used as part of the school's renovation fund, but McGonagell said it was too capitalistic for Hogwarts. She said Quidditch was an extra-curricular but it was still teaching valuable lessons. Selling items for the four house teams wouldn't be teaching anything."

"That's not true. What about finance and market planning and-,"

Jasmine held up her hand. "My thoughts exactly."

"When did he tell you all this?" Rose pressed. She was a little hurt that Rudolph had never mentioned his passion to her. She knew she had kept a lot of things in her life hidden from them, but she was starting to open up more and trust them with more information. She wanted him to do the same with her.

"He owls me almost every day during the summer months," Jasmine told her. "It's how we keep in touch. We're too far apart to actually meet up, so we owl." Jasmine seemed to notice Rose's uncertainty about this and changed the subject. "But enough about him. What about us? We need to find you a dress!"

Toshapper Fashions was not located on the main street of Hogsmeade, but off to the side on a smaller street. Even so, when Jasmine and Rose arrived, the store was bustling with witches of all ages looking through the various gowns, robes, and other attire. Jasmine began to look at the sale rack at the far end of the store, while Rose took to the racks of gowns in the middle section. She wasn't sure what she was looking for. She had never owned an expensive dress. She had plenty of nice things, but nothing to this caliber existed in her closet.

She knew that with her coloring darker colors usually looked best. She pulled out a deep emerald gown. It had a lot of ruffles and when she thought about how it would appear on her body, she figured she'd look more like an evergreen tree than a girl. She hung it back on the rack. She started to reach for a sapphire dress covered in black lace, when a hand fell on her shoulder.

"Oh no, darling! That is not for you." The voice belonged to a witch who appeared to be in her mid-fifties. She had tight curls of black hair on her head and brilliant green eyes, like a cat. She was peering at Rose, analyzing her through her bright red-framed glasses. "You look more rough and rebellious. A princess gown just isn't going to cut it," she stated.

Not knowing how to respond, Rose followed the woman to the back of the store. The witch quickly snapped out an incantation, before a large wooden door swung open to reveal a large closet. Rose hesitated in the doorway, but the woman breezed by her and right into the room. Lamps fluttered to life as she walked by them, lighting the room up and revealing several gorgeous gowns on mannequin. "Well do come in, dear," the woman gestured to her. "This isn't an invitation for the whole store, after all." Rose jumped inside, startled when the door slammed shut behind her.

"Let's see," the woman was talking to herself. "I know it's in here somewhere." She had opened a door to a smaller closet situated between two niches where mannequins were stationed. Rose could hear her pulling hangers across the railing in her frantic search. "Now it was in here this morning, where did I– oh! There it is!"

She yanked a hanger out of the closet, revealing a black strapless gown. It was long enough to touch the floor, but it only reached the floor in the back. The front was shorter, which would reveal her slim, toned legs. It was fitted at the top and fanned out a bit at the waist, making it a very flattering choice for her to wear. "It's beautiful," she whispered, running her fingers over the soft material. It was too sturdy to be silk, but the fabric was smooth.

"It's for you," the woman grinned. "I've been saving it."

"What?"

"Mr. Malfoy has been a client of mine for many years," she said, taking the dress of the hanger, and lying it across one of the chairs in the room. She moved towards one of the mannequin niches, which was empty, and produced a curtain across the doorframe. "I've known Scorpius since birth and I know what kind of taste he has. He's the spitting image of his father. I knew he wouldn't settle on just any woman. He was waiting for you too."

"Wait. You're Madame Toshapper?" Rose smiled.

"Of course darling," the woman flashed her a smile. "Who else?" She motioned to the dressing room. "Now enough chatter. Get in there."

Rose picked up the dress and followed her orders. The fabric was light and airy against her skin as she got out of her regular clothes and put the gown on. It felt perfect, like it had been designed specifically for her. The waist was snug, but not tight and the skirt part flowed freely out from her hips, a lovely silhouette around her legs. It was plain black, but it brought out the color of her eyes and the few highlights in her hair.

"And?" Rose grinned to herself, before stepping out from behind the curtain. "Magnificent!" Madame Toshapper exclaimed, clapping her hands in front of her mouth. "Now we need to accessorize!"

She began dancing about the closet, going through drawers and other mini closets like the one she had produced the dress from. Rose watched her, smiling the whole time. She had never felt so special. This moment was her own, apart from her family, apart from her history. This woman was only concerned about dressing her. It was lovely to be pampered for being her and not being the daughter of Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley.

"Here!" Madame Toshapper handed her a black satin clutch. It had a large belt around its midsection with a gold rose affixed in the middle. Rose turned the petals and the clutch snapped open. "Clever, no?" the older witch grinned. "One of my favorites." She went back to fussing through all the drawers, but returned a second later with a pair of golden earrings that matched the rose design on the clutch. "And these too. Oh! And this," she handed Rose a black choker, made of satin.

She helped put all the accessories on, then turned her around to a full-length mirror so she could inspect the final product. "Gorgeous. Absolutely perfect." Madame Toshapper was smiling from ear to ear. "Make sure to wear your hair down, dear. You have such lovely tresses."

Rose laughed. "Yes, Madame." She reached into her pocket for the letter from Mr. Malfoy, but the witch just laughed.

"That man," she shook her head. "Ridiculous really. But so generous." She wrapped all of Rose's things up in boxes and put them in a large bag, which she handed to her as the two exited the closet.

"Thank you for everything," Rose said.

"Send me pictures, darling," Madame Toshapper demanded gently. "In fact, just stop by sometime after the ball. I want to hear all the juicy details." She sighed, clutching her heart dramatically. "Oh to be young and be in love!"

Rose laughed and shook her head. "Wow, who is that?" Jasmine giggled. She was at the front counter, paying for the dress and earrings she had found.

"Madame Toshapper," Rose introduced her. "Jasmine Thompson, my best friend."

"Pleasure, dear. You have beautiful bone-structure." She pinched Jasmine's face, while she tried to pay the clerk for her items. "Just darling, really."

"Um, thanks," Jasmine tried to pry herself away.

"Enjoy the ball girls!" Madame Toshapper called as they hurried out the front door, Jasmine practically dragging Rose.

"Whoa, that was a close one," Jasmine remarked, as the girls left the shop. Bags in tow, the two rounded the corner and returned to the main street.

Rose stared at the shop from a distance. After the war, her father and his brothers had all worked in that shop, helping their brother get back on his feet after surviving his wounds. Her uncle George still ran it, despite the loss of his ear and his twin, Fred. Rose had never met him, because he had died in the final battle betweent the Dark Lord and her Uncle Harry, but she had heard stories about him and what he had done with her Uncle George when they were her again, attending Hogwarts.

The shop had been a dream of theirs, inspired by years of practical jokes played on various family members and friends. It became a reality after Harry had won the Triwizard Tournament in his fourth year, a feat no other wizard of his age had ever even attempted. Having money of his own, prior to winning, Harry had given it all to the twins and they had broken out of school during her parent's fifth year to start up the business. The level of sacrafic her family members had made for each other hit her. She felt guilty for letting Madame Toshapper take so much time dressing her and even more guilty about how she had acted towards her parents that morning in the Headmistress' office.

How could she expect her parents to forgive and forget? They had witnessed horror she had only heard about in her classes. They rarely spoke of that year, a year that had been meant for greater things, much happier things. Unlike their classmates, they had gone off to stop one of the most powerful wizards of their generation armed with a limited education and a lot of faith. It was hard for Rose to relate, especially since her entire childhood had showed her that her parents were invincible, god-like figures in society. It made it difficult to see them in her shoes, merely a student dealing with death and destruction to a level she could not fathom.

She cared about Scorpius. Nothing could change that fact. They had been friends through the years and he had been there as the shoulder for her to lean on more than once, not to mention how he had saved her life recently. But she cared about her family too. While as a whole, her relationship with them hadn't been smooth, she loved them and knew they loved her in return. They would never leave her or stop supporting her. She had no desire to part from either in an attempt to make her relationship work with both.

It was at this point when Jasmine spotted Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. "Do you want to-,"

"No," Rose shook her head. "No." She paused for a moment, realizing how sharp her response had been. "Sorry. Um, you go. I can hold your bags while you browse."

"Nah, it's fine. I don't need anything in there anyway. Just go to pop in now and then for a laugh."

"Are you sure?" Rose felt guilty. She didn't want her negative attitude to sway her friend's choice.

"Yeah, let's head back to the castle. If we're lucky we can catch the boys still playing."


	7. Repeat

**Chapter Seven: Repeat**

Rose paced back and forth between the two sides of the Quidditch pitch. Her heart was racing, her palms were sweaty, and she felt a tad bit nauseous. Scorpius had seemed fine last night, but now he was over twenty minutes late. Her nerves had been out of control since she had woken up, but now it was much worse. She had figured it was because of the ball. She was excited to see everyone dressed up and even more excited that she was going to be going with her boyfriend. Scorpius had never been late to meet her in all the years she had known him. She couldn't think of any reason why he would be late now. It wasn't like before. They weren't hiding anything from anyone anymore.

She was about to sit down on the ground when she heard someone running towards her. She spun around, ready to face him and saw Hugo coming down from the castle instead. He was alone. She felt her stomach do a back flip. Something was wrong. As he entered the pitch, he remained silent, but when she saw his face she knew. Scorpius wasn't coming.

"We have to go to the Headmistress' office," Hugo stated, his voice very even and very quiet. "Now." Rose felt her heart drop. There was no reason for Professor McGonagell to be involved in the dealings of two teenage lovers. She glanced up at Hugo as she followed him out of the pitch. He wouldn't look at her. There was no reason, unless there was something more going on here.

When they reached the top of the hill, she noticed her cousins standing at the doorway. They all looked delicate. She hoped it was the lighting, but even James appeared rather pale. She swallowed the growing lump in her throat. "How bad is it?"

"It's bad, Rose. There was an attack in Hogsmeade this afternoon. Over a dozen people were killed. More were wounded. They took–,"

"Where is she?" Rudolph's shouting cut off Hugo before he could finish. Rose jumped as her friend slammed the door of the office shut. He spotted her and came running. Rose put the pieces together. She felt as if she had just taken a Bludger to the stomach. She closed her eyes, shaking her head and fell back against the wall.

Hugo cursed and squatted down in front of her instantly. "Rose. Listen to me," he reached out to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and forcing her to look into his eyes. "They took Scorpius. The Aurors think they are going to ask for a ransom from his father. Jasmine is missing too." The world suddenly shifted. She didn't have to ask her brother who 'they' was. She already knew. An old threat had been reborn. She was about to relive her parents' worst nightmare. The Death Eaters were back.

Inside McGonagell's office the mood was somber and defeated. The number of people who had been killed was rising, as it became apparent that Hogsmeade wasn't the only location the group had hit. Rose and her cousins listened silently as the Headmistress informed them of three similar attacks that had taken place before Hogsmeade had been hit. The first had been a Muggle community. The Ministry of magic had already dispatched aid and some Aurors to help with the cover-up story. The next target area had been the Ministry of Magic itself, but hardly anyone had been hurt there. With so many Aurors on duty at the time of the attack the threat had been neutralized within moments. The third one had erupted at the close of a Quidditch game. Dozens of spectators had been wounded and a few had died.

"In the matter of Ms. Sullivan and Mr. Malfoy, it is believed that they are both alive." Rose felt Rudolph squash her hand unintentionally as McGonagell paused to inhale. "However, we are not optimistic that this will be their fate for long. It is not in the nature of events such as these to allow compassion. I suggest you all prepare yourselves for the worst." Rose stifled a scream as Rudolph's hold tightened even further. He was going to break of her hand.

"Professor," she wretched her hand free of her friend. "Is there any reason why they took Jasmine and Scorpius and didn't-," she stopped. She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.

"Kill them on site," James finished. McGonagell's eyes went from Rose to her cousin. She glared at James sharply before speaking again.

"Ransom is the most logical conclusion at the moment, Ms. Weasley. But as you are no doubt aware, Ms. Sullivan is Muggle-born and though her family is not a group of paupers, there finances are not worthy of such an attempt, unlike Mr. Malfoy's circumstances." Rudolph cursed loudly, slamming his fists down on the Headmistress' desk. Wood splinters shattered around him, some piercing the flesh of his hands. "Please control yourself, Mr. Lettner."

"What is being done to retrieve them?" Hugo asked, moving forward to put his hand on Rudolph's shoulder.

"A great deal of effort on the Ministry's part has been exerted on all the attacks. Aurors have been dispatched to each location. They are working with the witches and wizards in each area to return things to normal and assist all the victims and their families. They-,"

"But who is looking for Scorpius and Jasmine?" Rose interrupted with an annoyed tone in her voice.

"Ms. Weasley," McGonagell began exasperatedly, and Rose realized with pain that no one was searching for her loved ones. They had been deemed a lost cause and the Ministry was sending its resources elsewhere. "I am truly sorry."

Rose sat back in her chair as the realization sunk in. She was about to loose them. There was nothing she could do about it. Jasmine and Scorpius were gone. Her heart physically ached as she thought about not seeing either of them again. She would never get another chance to hug Jasmine, or laugh with her about boys, or eat breakfast with her in the Great Hall. She would never see the pair of eyes that made Scorpius so mysterious, or be able to kiss him, or even do something as innocent as dance with him again. She gripped the arm rests on either side of her. The room was small and warm. She felt trapped in the heat and her angst. Breathing became harder. Her throat was constricting. She didn't think she had the ability to swallow anymore. How could she wake up tomorrow with the knowledge that she no longer had her best friend? And Scorpius, without him how could she even move? The only reason she had gotten on the Quidditch team was because of his stubborn support and his constant late night practices. His ability to make her forget her problems and to show her how beautiful she was. How could she lose that? She loved it. She loved him. Her breathing stopped completely in that moment. She loved him.

Was she ever going to get the opportunity to tell him? He had to know. He had to know that he was the world to her, that he made her feel whole, that he had completed her existence. She had to tell him how he had changed her, how he had made her life better. She glanced around, witnessing the reactions of her cousins, brother, and Rudolph as McGonagell continued to address them. She had removed herself from the speech completely. There was nothing else the Headmistress could tell her - that she was interested in knowing. And with that, she stood up and walked out of the room. She wasn't surprised that no one followed her. They all assumed that she was in shock. None of them could anticipate she was planning on leaving the castle. Not one of them could stop her even if they did know. This was her only chance to break free of all - her family's name, the expectations people had of her, and her own fear. If anything had ever mattered before, it paled in comparison to the drive that she felt now. A Hungarian Horntail couldn't keep her from going.

She passed the corridor that would have led her to the Great Hall. She vaguely recalled McGonagell mentioning a vigil being held in there for the students to mourn the loss. She ran up the steps to Gryffindor tower, taking two at a time. The Common Room was completely empty. She slipped up into the Girl's Wing silently and unnoticed. Grabbing her nap-sack, she began frantically stuffing it with specific items she deemed worthy of her mission. Within minutes, she had gathered what she needed and was leaving again. She planned on going alone. This was most probably a suicide mission, however fate had it's own agenda. Rudolph was waiting for her by the archway.

"Absolutely not!" She shouted at him, before he had a chance to ask.

"Rose, I need to go. I need to be there for her." He grabbed her by her shoulders, locking her in his grip and staring her down. There was more than anger in his eyes. There was a fear, a desperation so like her own that she felt her breath hitch. Had she been so involved in her own life lately that she had missed the signs?

"You love her?"

It was more of a statement then a question at this point, because no matter what he said to her vocally, she could read the truth in his expression. "I wanted to tell her before Yule Ball. I swear I was going to, but then she came down those stairs this morning and I just couldn't find the words. Nothing seemed good enough." He sighed, taking a step back and releasing her. He ran a hand through his thick hair, closing his eyes momentarily. "Now I may never have the chance."

Rose felt her throat tighten, the first warning sign of tears that may fall. "You will," she said, putting one hand on his shoulder. He raised his eyes to look at her. "We both will."

They headed for the Quidditch Pitch. If they were going to travel without being traced, they would have to go by broom or by magical creature. Since all the creatures at the school were under protection charms and special wards for student safety, brooms were their only available option. Rudolph nearly ripped the door off its hinges when he opened it. Rose didn't bother to scold him. Her nerves were running wild as well. She had no room to judge at this point. Every decision they made from here on out would be against under-aged Wizarding laws and of course against the student code of conduct at Hogwarts, so if a door happened to be broken on their spiral downward, it was the least of her worries. They both grabbed their brooms from their respective lockers. Rudolph paused at his to grab some items and stuff them in his duffel. When they turned around to leave, Rose was met with another surprise: her family.

"I won't let you do th-," James started.

Rose raised her wand. "Either get out of my way, James, or I will make you."

Hugo jumped in between them, arms raised up. "Hey, hey! Wait!" Rose didn't lower her wand, but she did let her cousin speak.

James started to speak again, "I won't let you do this alone. We're family. We're going with you." His words nearly caused her to choke. She looked around him to find Albus and Lily already prepared with their brooms.

"What about Aunt Ginny, Uncle Harry, and Mom and Dad?" she asked Hugo.

"Sod them. Can't let the old dogs have all the fun, can we?" He grinned mischievously. "Besides, who are they to talk about breaking the rules?"

And that it seemed decided it all. The group of six marched out onto the Quidditch Pitch, brooms in hand. They mounted together, before James signaled to take off. There was only one place that she could think of to start looking. Malfoy Manor had been the main house used for operations during the last war and although Rose did not believe in Scorpius or his parents being involved in the Dark Arts, she had an intuitive feeling that there was something or someone in that house that did. She knew that his grandparents on both sides were deceased. His great-aunts were both long gone, one during the war and one afterwards. The whereabouts of his uncles were less certain, though she believed they were both dead as well. That only left cousins and as far as anyone knew the only cousin he had was a distant relative named Teddy Tonks, who was a close family friend of hers. Teddy was a black sheep in the Malfoy branch. It wasn't until recently that he had even been recognized by the family as a relative.

It didn't feel right to be suspicious of Scorpious' home, especially after how kindly she had been treated by his parents, but she couldn't drop the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. The closer they got to the house, the more the feeling grew. When they landed outside the gate, she nearly vomitted from the nausea. The feeling was more intense than she anticipated. She felt her hands becoming clammy and her vision blurred. Her broomstick dropped from her hand as she attempted to right herself. Rudolph steadied her with one hand, seeing her sway. "Rose?"

"I'm alright," she responded quickly. "They are here."

As if she had just spoken some password, the gates swung open. Everyone stepped back and drew their wands as a protective measure, but nothing happened. No Death Eaters appeared, no defensive measures mounted - the walk way remained unaltered. Rose pushed past the rest of her family, taking the first step through the gateway. She held her breath for a moment, waiting. Nothing happened. No trap door opened. No hounds of hell came madly barking at her. All was still. She heard James let out a sigh of relief. He nodded to the rest of them and they all moved forward. It was at the same moment, the gates slammed shut, suddenly over growing with thorns and ivy, and separating Rose from her family. Only Rudolph had already made it through. Being made partially of human blood and partially of centaur, his brute strength and speed allowed him to flip over the fence before the thorns could cut him. He landed with a heavy thud at Rose's feet. His one side was scratched in long lines of crimson, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"Rose!" Hugo shouted, moving to grab hold of the bars.

"Stay back!" she screamed, pointing her wand at the gates. Her warning didn't come soon enough and a defensive charm set Hugo flying backwards, bound by leather coils. "Hugo!" Lily was at his side with Albus in a matter of seconds, conjuring the proper unlocking spells. Rose unballed her hands at her sides, realizing how tense the moment had made her. She couldn't be tense right now. She had to keep her composure and stay fluid. If she locked up now, she would lock up in battle and that was not a luxury that she could afford when so much was on the line. She helped Rudolph to his feet, grimacing under his massive weight.

"I'm not leaving her in there," he grumbled, forcing himself to stand.

"I know. We're going to get them out of there." As if someone had heard their statements, a scream pierced the night air. Rose and Rudolph both froze, recognizing Jasmine's voice instantly.

"I'll kill them," the wizard barked, racing for the front door.

"Rudolph! Wait!" Rose darted after him, despite the desperate cries from her family on the opposite side of the gate.

The doors stayed open as they both ran inside. Rudolph had gone directly up the marble stone steps in front of them, never hesitating to look at either room on the side of the staircase. Rose looked quickly at both, but saw no movement or unnatural shadows in either. She figured anyone in the house would be centered around the main attraction, but her instincts told her to still be cautious. Another scream shot through the air. This time it was Scorpius and Rose felt her heart stop. The breath left her lungs and she felt as if she could see him in pain. She could feel the etched lines of his face contorting and the rough sensation of the torture flow through his body. She gripped hold of the banister, nearly losing her balance from the shock of it all. When the sensation subsided, she realized Rudolph was no longer in front of her.

She ran. She had no idea how she knew where she was going, but she did. She rounded a corner, hung a right, then jumped up another staircase, taking two at a time. When she reached the top, she saw her friends. She didn't recognize the person standing directly in front of Scorpius and Jasmine. The witch had her wand pointed at them, her back towards the stairs. Rudolph was lying motionless about three yards back from the woman. There was more blood on his face, but Rose could tell he was alive. He was still breathing. Off to the other side, farthest from her was a fireplace, where Mr. Malfoy was lying. He was under a charm, slowly, hypnotically walking towards the flames. Rose could smell the stench of burning flesh and noticed the charred hand of Scorpius's father. His right hand, his wand hand, was burned severly, but he didn't notice it.

"I've been expecting you, Rose," the witch turned around. Rose only knew her by reputation, a face like that was unforgettable to someone who had survived the war, and her mother and grandmother knew this woman all too well.

"Bellatrix Lestrange."

"NO!" the witch shrieked. She ran at Rose, pointing her wand into her collarbone. "She's dead because of you! Because of your family! Because of your wretched Mudblood mother!" Rose felt her pulse quicken as the tip of the wand pressed harder into her flesh.

"Who are you?" she hissed.

"Nell," the woman spat out.

"No. You're Bellatrix Lestrange. You have to be. You look just like her."

"Because she was my mother!" shrieked the witch, grabbing Rose by the arm and tossing her to the side. Rose skidded across the floor, landing aside of Jasmine. She rolled over to see her friend's arms and legs were bleeding from whipping wounds. Scorpius was injured too, though his injuries seemed less severe. Rose struggled to get on her feet, just in time for Nell to slap her and send her reeling back to the ground.

"Bellatrix never had a child," Rose said, her face against the hard marble flooring.

"Ah, but that's where you are wrong," Nell laughed. "She did. In Azkaban. No one was to know about it of course. Would look bad on the Ministry, not being able to maintain a psychopath. But," she gestured wildly as she approached Rose. "Here I am."

Rose swung her legs around, knocking into the back of Nell's knees and sending her down. Rose kicked Nell's wand from her hands, and threw herself at the witch, keeping her down on the floor. "Why did you attack those people?" she snapped, pointing her wand in Nell's face. "What good will it do now? Voldemort is dead."

"He may be dead," Nell's eyes glistened, "but his teachings live on. Your family took mine from me. It's only right that I return the favor."

"Your mother killed members of my family as well. And Voldemort wasn't a leader. He was a murderer, a cowardly, lowly, murderer."

"Lies!" Nell screamed, shoving Rose off of her. She made a reach for her wand, but Rudolph knocked into her, sending the wand dancing over towards Mr. Malfoy. Rose scrambled to her feet to get the wand, but Nell was faster, nearly knocking Mr. Malfoy into the flames to secure her weapon. Rose grabbed the back of his shirt to keep him from falling into the flames. She yanked him hard, pushing him to the ground and way from the fireplace. But her actions had cost her the safety of an unarmed opponent. Nell had retrieved her wand.

"Get them out of here!" Rose shouted at Rudolph, who was closer to Scorpius and Jasmine. "Get them out of here, now!" Rudolph didn't need to be told again. He grabbed Jasmine, tossing her over his shoulder, before helping Scorpius to his feet so he could lean on him to walk out of the house.

"Not so fast," Nell cried, raising her wand. Rose jumped on her from behind, grabbing her hair, and pulling as hard as she could. "Ah!" It wasn't as good as magic, but she needed to keep Nell occupied until her friends were out of the manor. She would not let them die her. She flicked her wand, putting a body binding spell on Nell. She checked to make sure it had worked only for a second, before returning to Mr. Malfoy's side.

"Mr. Malfoy," she tried to uncharm him, but the enchantment was too strong. "Let him go," she demanded of Nell, putting her wand over Nell's heart.

"Why? You won't kill me. You're a Weasley. You don't have the guts to kill me. You're pathetic."

Rose felt enraged. True, she would not use an Unforgivable Curse on the woman. She refused to lower herself to that level, but she was angry. She hated how this witch was abusing magic and how she was using the power to torture innocent people in the name of a man who had altered the face of the Wizarding World. She hated how scared Jasmine looked, how beaten Scorpius was, and how much blood had to be spilled over such a dividing line as lineage. Her parents had fought to keep this kind of darkness out of their world. They had lost friends and family to the war. She was not about to do the same. She turned to the back wall of the room. The windows had been covered by the shades, she moved them effortlessly with her wand, seeing the sky outside. It appeared that this was the Western side of the Manor, and as such was the side closest to the canyon. With a flick of her wrist, Rose shouted, "Expulso!" The wall instantly erupted into dozens of pieces, exploding outward into the night.

She returned to Nell's side, releasing her from her body bind. "I may not kill you by my own hand, but you can condemn yourself if you do not help me," she instructed. "Release Mr. Malfoy, now."

"No."

"Release Mr. Malfoy, Nell," Rose instructed, pushing the witch backwards and closer to the edge of the floor.

"If I fall over and I die, my blood is on your hands," Nell grinned. "Being a murderess is fun, isn't it, Weasley?"

Mr. Malfoy was up again, walking towards the fire. The fronts of his shoes had started to burn and the smell of burning leather filled the room. "One last time, Nell. Let him go."

"I'd rather fall." And with that, she stepped back and off the ledge. Rose cursed and dove for the wall, but Nell was gone. Only her maniacal laughter filled the air where she had once stood. Rose felt her options dwindling. She searching frantically around the room, trying to find something that might stun Mr. Malfoy long enough that she could break the spell or at least drag him out of the manor. She noticed an antique chair pushed off to the side of the room, right behind the door she had entered from earlier. As she moved to get it, she heard a noise. Before she could turn all the way around, Nell had jumped on her. But she wasn't alone. This time she was accompanied by two masked men and a werewolf. The men grabbed Rose, forcing her to her knees in front of Nell, while the werewolf, a disheveled looking man with a deranged look in his eyes paced behind her. "I told you that I'd rather fall."

"Can I kill her?" the one wizard on Rose's right asked. He didn't look familiar, but that didn't matter now. It was irrelevant what he looked like because she would be dead soon.

"No, this one is mine," Nell hissed. "She's caused enough trouble to earn that right." She pulled a knife out of his back robe pocket. "Do you know what this is, Rose? Hmm? It's my mother's knife, the same knife she used to carve words into your filthy Mudblood realtives, the same knife she used to kill that damned House Elf, the same knife that I'm going to kill you with now. Isn't that poetic?"

The knife went flying, landing on the floor by the fireplace, unnoticed by Mr. Malfoy. "Not really." In the opening of the wall, Rose could see Lily, James, Hugo, and Albus. Hugo's wand was at the ready, a cheeky smirk on his face. "Now I suggest you let my sister go, before we let the Aurors have you."

"I am not going back to Azkaban," Nell hissed, drawing her wand on Rose's neck and backing away from the broken wall.

"Then do as he says, or I'll kill you here," a new voice entered the conversation. Rose could feel Scorpius, could picture exactly how he would be holding his wand, even though she couldn't angle her head to see him.

"You are ruining my fun, cousin," Nell growled. "But that's ok. Uncle Draco seems to be the life of the party. Or should I say light?" Rose saw that Mr. Malfoy's legs and torso were engaged in flames. He was halfway in the fireplace. Lily quickly conjured a water charm that made it rain, while Albus conjured wind to douse the fire as well as Mr. Malfoy. Rose moved her feet, trying to get a better footing. "Pesty little pesky pests!" Nell cried, raising her wand again. Rose slammed herself backwards into Nell, causing both of them to go flying back when the witch lost her balance.

Rose had managed to free herself and this gave her family an opportunity to start attacking the others. Nell was not one to be outdone though. She had her wand back just as Rose managed to get to Scorpius. "You shouldn't have come back. I came here to save you," she snapped at him.

"That's touching, really," Nell muttered, "but predictable and dull, as most Gryffindors are." She swung her wand without hesitation, "Avada Ker-,"

"PROTEGO!" Mr. Malfoy shouted, stepping in front of them. The green light that had started coming out of Nell's wand exploding, engulfing both her and her wand. The room got very still and very silent. A large scorch mark was burned onto the marble where Nell had been standing. The fighting stopped as everyone took in the absence of the witch. "Leave my house immediately," Mr. Malfoy barked at the other three. The werewolf and the two masked wizards dropped their wands as instructed by James, Albus, and Hugo. They moved towards the door, but as they passed Mr. Malfoy, they grabbed him.

"No!"

The three dragged him back to the opening in the wall and threw him over the edge. Scorpius ran at them, and the fighting picked up again, spells flying and wands moving. Rose dodged one after the other, running to the wall. She didn't slow as she reached the end. She dove off the side. As the air ripped past her, she could barely make out Scorpius' cry after her, but she ignored him. She could see Mr. Malfoy plummeting only a few yards ahead of her.

"Accio broom!" she shouted, hoping that Scorpius still kept his old Firebolt from his summers of practice. Sure enough, a black and green Firebolt 250 came whizzing around the corner of the canyon. She grabbed hold of it, gripping the handle as tight as she could and positioning the broom into a deep nose-dive. She reached out her right arm, stretching as far forward as she could manage without tipping the broom. Mr. Malfoy saw her. He reached upwards. She almost had him when someone flew past her.

"Gotcha!" Rose barely recognized her father and Uncle Harry, as they came up on either side of Mr. Malfoy, hoisting him up. Ronald Weasley helped Mr. Malfoy get on his best friend's broom, before flying over to his daughter.

"Rose," he pulled her into a hug. "Thank Godric, you're alive."

Rose felt all the anxiety, anger, and fear from the situation deplete as her father held her against his chest. Tears welled up in her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you too."


	8. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The sun was warm on the bare of her back. It felt nice. Despite the heat, her arms were covered in Goosebumps. Today was perfect. The weather was lovely, not a cloud in the sky. The grass was newly cut, spreading a fresh earthy scent about the air. She could feel the eyes of her family upon her as her father linked his arm around hers and led her forward. This was it.

Part of her knew music was playing, but Rose Weasley didn't hear it. She was looking ahead of her where Scorpius Malfoy was standing. His father, Draco Malfoy, was standing at his side with his hand on his son's shoulder. Most people didn't notice it anymore, but his hand was scared from the burns he had recieved months ago. Those scars were nothing compared to the ones on his heart. He had lost his wife in the invasion that had almost cost him his life and the life of his son. But today, his eyes were twinkling, though not in their normal mischievous way. Rose realized with surprise that he was holding back tears. It shook her confidence for a moment. She had vowed not to cry today. Enough tears had been shed as of late.

The last few months had gone by in a blur. After the attack there had been a lot of questions, a lot of meetings, a lot of visits to the Ministry. Rose had gotten sick of it immediately and had asked to be left alone for the sake of her studies. It wasn't until almost five full weeks after the attack at Malfoy Manor that she and Scorpius had had a moment alone together. They were sitting in the Great Hall, having breakfast, when he asked her to take a walk outside. She had thought this was odd, considering how well everyone was getting along, especially despite all the rumors and wild stories that had been made up after the attack, but she obliged. They strolled down to the Quidditch pitch, where she had been left waiting for him that day. It was there, in the middle of the field, that he dropped down on his knee and pulled out a small leather case.

She had expected him to say a lot of things to her and yes, someday she suspected this would come up, but not now. It seemed so soon and much too sudden after everything that had transpired. "I sat down with your parents and my father," he began, "And they all agreed that they were comfortable with me being in your life. When I told them that I hoped our families would unite with us, they were happy. I think things are finally going to be the way we want them to be, Rose." And then he opened the box. Inside was the single-most beautiful piece of jewelry she had ever seen. Glistening in silver and entwined with gold was a ring that was both ornate and simple at the same time, a perfect combination to express her and their relationship. And in that instant, her life changed forever.

Back in the present, she noticed the number of people watching her with watery expressions. Turning to look at her father, Rose was shocked to find a tear rolling down his freckled cheek. "Dad?" He let out a puff of air, feigning indifference. A smile appeared on her lips as she gave his hand a squeeze. "I love you." Ronald Weasley mouthed, "I love you, too," back to his only daughter, before taking another deep breath, one that required a lot of effort.

As they continued down the make-shift aisle, Rose thought about how all of this had come together. After all the petty fights, all the nights worrying about how she was going to remain in Scorpius' life here they were. They were getting married. She could scarcely believe it.

It had started here on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch and here was where it would start anew. Chairs had been set out in lines, parted down the middle to allow for her to walk down and to the arch at the end. The arch was hand-made of wood and covered in ivy. Lace had been draped about it to decorate it as well. The entire thing was charmed with the wishes of their guests for a long and happy marriage. The altar, which was housed underneath the arch, was a small wooden thing, barely noticeable under the arch. That was where McGonagell stood, her petite glasses on hanging on the lower portion of her nose. She was watching everything and everyone all at once, but Rose could tell that a majority of her attention was on her.

Rose thought about the day when she had met Scorpius on the train. It had been over eight years ago. Before she had known who he was, before they had even gotten to Hogwarts she had been drawn to him. She had known the instant she had seen him that there was something special about him. It hadn't been love at first sight, per say, but it had been a significant moment. He was the reason she had conjured up the strength to defy her parents, the drive to keep her practicing Quidditch, the voice in her head giving her the courage to face all her fears.

She remembered when they had been in third year, assigned to research a mythical creature of their choice and write a paper on their findings. Her goal for the assignment was to choose the most complex creature and write a full scroll on it to make her mother proud. While she had been pouring over book after book in the library, Scorpius had been goofing off behind her. He charmed her quill to draw tiny caricatures of her family in the margins of her notes and had enchanted her books so that they conducted a little dance on the tabletop. At the time, she had been furious with him. Looking back on it now, all she could do was stifle her laughter. He had always been there for her in every way she could possibly need him. It had taken her some time to realize what a tremendous force in her life he was. And now he was standing right in front of her. This was it.

Her father handed her over with a nod. Both he and Mr. Malfoy took their seats in the front row with the rest of her family. If no one knew about their past, no one would have suspected that Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger Weasley, and Ronald Weasley had ever been enemies. They appeared to have the ties of a friendship that ran decades deep instead of barely a year. It was funny how things worked out with time.

"Ready?" Scorpius asked her, taking her by the hand.

"Bring it on," Rose smiled.

As Professor McGonagell started the ceremony, the sun set on the Quidditch pitch.


End file.
